Sister-Bear Foundation donates nearly $4,000 to 3 individuals

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·3 min read

Amarillo non-profit the Sister-Bear Foundation has awarded its first Quarter 2023 grant awards to three recipients, totaling to $3,849 given to those in need.

According to the organization, the foundation's committee was unanimous in awarding grants to this quarter's recipients, David Flores, Brittan Carrier and Theresa Rowe.

Tracey Kilburn, Grants Committee Chair, said in a news release: “We are so grateful when area therapists refer their patients to Sister-Bear for a grant when the medical equipment needed isn’t covered by insurance. ... We want to help improve each grant recipient’s quality of life, and a small medical device or attachment can make a huge difference in the life of someone who has a mobility impairment.”

The Sister-Bear Foundation has awarded $3,849 in its first Quarter 2023 grants to three recipients: David Flores, Brittan Carrier and Theresa Rowe, for specialty assistance items not covered by insurance. Carrier, center, received a $1,500 grant to cover the cost of a seat elevator adapter for his electric wheelchair.
The Sister-Bear Foundation has awarded $3,849 in its first Quarter 2023 grants to three recipients: David Flores, Brittan Carrier and Theresa Rowe, for specialty assistance items not covered by insurance. Carrier, center, received a $1,500 grant to cover the cost of a seat elevator adapter for his electric wheelchair.
The Sister-Bear Foundation awarded David Flores of Hereford a grant of $599 to purchase a SaeboFlex hand splint that is used to help him grasp objects with his left arm and hand, which have suffered hemiplegia following a cerebral vascular accident in April 2022. Flores is one of three first-quarter recipients that Sister-Bear has awarded grants to in 2023.

The first recipient, David Flores of Hereford, received a grant of $599 to purchase a SaeboFlex hand splint that is used to help him grasp objects with his left arm and hand, which have suffered hemiplegia (loss of movement and control) following a cerebral vascular accident (CVA) in April 2022.

As stated in a news release, the device, which straps on Flores' hand, enables him to open and close his fingers, assisting him in therapy and at home.

Alicia Johnson, Occupational Therapist at the Hereford Health Clinic, explained that Flores’ medical device is “one of the latest advances in neurorehabilitation research that enables the brain to 're-program' itself through practice.”

The Foundation awarded a $1,500 grant benefitting Brittan Carrier to cover the cost of a seat elevator adapter for his electric wheelchair. According to Sister-Bear, Carrier, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998, struggles with progressive weakness in his legs and upper body.

Numotion of Amarillo, a mobility equipment business, referred Carrier to the Sister-Bear Foundation for the grant, which was paid directly to them to purchase the wheelchair seat elevator.

"This seat elevator allows me to be able to reach the cabinets, things that are too high, and gives me some sense of sociability because it allows me to look at and talk to people at their height, instead of being looked down on in a wheelchair. You don't realize unless you are in a wheelchair how degrading that is. It gives you a little bit of confidence, especially during everyday tasks like when I go get my mail," Carrier said.

The Sister-Bear Foundation has awarded $3,849 in its first quarter 2023 grants to three recipients: David Flores, Brittan Carrier and Theresa Rowe for specialty assistance items not covered by insurance. Theresa Rowe, center, received $1,750 to purchase a wheelchair seat elevator as well as a tray and swing-away joystick.
The Sister-Bear Foundation has awarded $3,849 in its first quarter 2023 grants to three recipients: David Flores, Brittan Carrier and Theresa Rowe for specialty assistance items not covered by insurance. Theresa Rowe, center, received $1,750 to purchase a wheelchair seat elevator as well as a tray and swing-away joystick.

The third grant recipient was Theresa Rowe of Tucumcari, New Mexico, who received $1,750 to purchase a wheelchair seat elevator similar to Carrier’s, as well as a tray and swing-away joystick.

According to Sister Bear, Rowe, who has Cerebral Palsy, has not been able to walk since birth and depends on a wheelchair to move around. Rowe, the first Sister-Bear Foundation grant recipient from New Mexico, stated that the equipment will allow her more mobility and height to reach cabinets and more during her daily life.

“A grant from Sister-Bear Foundation can cover a variety of needs, from home modification expenses to wheelchairs and related accessories to all kinds of therapy, including mental health care that can make the difference between someone who is simply surviving and thriving,” Kilburn said.

Kilburn invites adults with mobility issues who need financial assistance and live in the Texas Panhandle or communities in surrounding states near Amarillo, to visit the foundation's website at sister-bear.com/grants to learn more, or call them at 806-335-5401.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Sister-Bear Foundation awards nearly $4,000 for medical equipment