by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

It’s early afternoon in the hot, Oklahoma sunshine and Christa Boren, LPN, pulls back on the slingshot straps and lets a water balloon fly.
The wooden SpongeBob target 20-feet away survives a dousing as the balloon splashes to the ground.
Boren laughs.
It’s good to be home.
“It’s amazing,” she says. “I really miss the center so when they gave me this opportunity I had to jump on it.”
Boren worked at J.D. McCarty Center in Norman for a number of a years as a nurse and nurse manager. When family business moved her away she thought she’d never get to work at the center for children with developmental disabilities again.
She was wrong.
Boren has worked as the evening and night shift nurse at Camp ClapHans for three years now.
Horseback riding, movie nights, talent shows and dance parties are just some of the events offered at camp ClapHans. Several members of the University of Oklahoma football team visited this summer as well as some church groups.
“That allows our kids to interact with other kids who are age-appropriate,” Boren said. “Our kids get to really play with those kids and they’re not being judged. It also allows those kids from these groups to come out and interact with our kids and learn. Maybe next time they’re out and they see a wheelchair they’re not going to stare … because they are just kids.”
Camp ClapHans is a residential summer camp for kids with special needs ages eight to 18.
The camp is located on the south end of the McCarty Center’s 80-acre campus in Norman.
It features two cabins, a multi-purpose building and is built next to an 11-acre lake. The camp features summer camp activities like archery, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, camp fires, swimming, indoor and outdoor games, arts and crafts and much more.
J.D. McCarty provides a one-to-one camper-to-staff ratio with a nurse on site 24-hours a day.
That’s where Boren comes in.
“It was a little overwhelming but really the worst thing about camp is the heat,” she said. “The kids are amazing. We have a group of counselors every summer who are college students … and they come out and they do this for free five weeks out of the summer and are an amazing group of kids.”
When her husband opened a physical therapy clinic in Elk City Boren quit her job at J.D. McCarty and moved with her family.
Boren became a nurse at 20 and had worked in the hospital setting before settling into her role with J.D. McCarty.
“It’s absolutely amazing. I loved the fast-paced stuff but at times it does get a little overwhelming. In the acute-care settings in the hospitals you have to deal with all the sad stuff – giving people cancer diagnosis and all that stuff that comes with nursing,” Boren said. “Here at camp we don’t have that at all. These kids love to be here. It’s so laid-back and we get to really enjoy the kids and try to make their time here as enjoyable as possible.
“These kids would normally not get to do this at a regular camp.”
When she’s not in camp, Boren still makes the drive from Elk City to Norman to take her six-year-old son for therapy at JD McCarty.
Last school year, Boren was a teacher’s aide but admits most of her time is spent being the mom to three boys active in sports.
The move to Elk City was a good but so has the opportunity to bring her child to treatment at J.D. McCarty.
The J. D. McCarty Center was founded in 1946, by a veterans group called the 40 et 8 of Oklahoma. The 40 et 8 was an honor society within the American Legion. When the McCarty Center first opened its doors to patients it only treated one diagnosis – cerebral palsy.
Today, the center has treated more than 100 different diagnoses in the developmental disability category.
Kids come to Norman for treatment from all over the state of Oklahoma.
Children referred to the hospital are evaluated and treated by a team of pediatricians, pediatric specialists, registered nurses and LPNs, direct care specialists, physical, occupational, speech and language therapists, a dietitian, a clinical psychologist and psychology clinicians and social workers who focus on getting a child to their highest level of functionality and independence. “Any kid who comes through the door becomes your kid,” Boren said.

Local Companies Creates Event, The Alzheimer’s Hoedown, to Fight Deadly Disease

For the third year in a row, SYNERGY HomeCare of Edmond, is proud to sponsor an event for the Alzheimer’s Association. The Fountains at Canterbury, located at 1404 NW 122nd Street OKC, OK 73114, will be hosting the Alzheimer’s Hoedown Event on September 13 from 5:00-7:30pm. We ask the community to join us for an uplifting event featuring local musicians, silent auction, games, food, and more! A minimum donation of $10 per person is requested to join in on that fun. This will include a meal, and all proceeds go to the Alzheimer’s Association! For the third year in a row, SYNERGY HomeCare of Edmond, is proud to sponsor an event for the Alzheimer’s Association. The Fountains at Canterbury, located at 1404 NW 122nd Street OKC, OK 73114, will be hosting the Alzheimer’s Hoedown Event on September 13 from 5:00-7:30pm. We ask the community to join us for an uplifting event featuring local musicians, silent auction, games, food, and more! A minimum donation of $10 per person is requested to join in on that fun. This will include a meal, and all proceeds go to the Alzheimer’s Association!

According to the Alzheimer’s Association:

· Someone develops Alzheimer’s every 66 seconds in the United States.

· Alzheimer’s disease is the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death

· More than 5 million Americans are living with the disease.

· There are more than 15.9 million caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the United States.

“Through the tireless work of our caregivers, we are aware of the dramatic impact Alzheimer’s has on individuals and their families,” says Peter Tourian, founder and CEO of SYNERGY HomeCare.

“We are walking to show our commitment to finding a cure for this disease which according to the Alzheimer’sAssociation is one of the leading causes of death in the United States that does not have a cure, a prevention or a treatment.

”To learn more about SYNERGY HomeCare of Oklahoma, please contact Abbey Trammell at 405-254-3046 or abbeytrammell@synergyhomecare.com.

SYNERGY HomeCare is a non-medical home care company dedicated to providing exceptional and affordable service to anyone of any age.

SYNERGY HomeCare caregivers are available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, to those in need – including seniors, expectant moms, those suffering from sports injuries and debilitating illnesses, and more.  We proudly serve the Greater Oklahoma City metro area, including: Oklahoma City, Edmond, Moore, Norman and the surrounding areas. The company exists to provide genuine services, and it’s why we treat our clients and caregivers with dignity and respect.  For additional information, please visit http://www.synergyhomecareedmond.com.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

The abundance of theatrical talent in Oklahoma is no secret as it has been exhibited for decades by a number of theaters and venues. The upcoming Concert Version of an all time favorite of Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man In Concert, hosts a number of professional and amateur performers familiar to Oklahoma audiences.
What makes this production, co-produced with Oklahoma City Community College’s Performing Arts Series, September 28 – 30, special, is it’s a community wide celebration, where non equity actors and actors associated with other theater groups, as well as long time Oklahoma performers are brought together with young people from across the community. It’s not only a celebration of the 60th anniversary of this Broadway classic, but a celebration of Oklahoma talent, many of them are senior citizens.
As an active senior citizen, I am particularly pleased to have passed the double open audition process and will be supporting the cast in the ensemble. In a way this is a “Circle of Life” experience as I first began my theatrical roles in the ensemble of Lyric Theater of Oklahoma in 1972. As so many of this cast can, I’m paying tribute to the solid theatrical foundation given by my Oklahoma City University professors, including; Grant Kilpatrick, Mariana Davenport and Florence Birdwell.
This production features Jonathan Beck Reed and Teri Bibb as the unconventional romantic couple of Professor Harold Hill and Librarian Marian Paroo.
Reed, one of Oklahoma’s favorite actors, reprises the role he has played many times, including the 30th Anniversary revival tour all across north America. Having performed the role 504 times, Reed says with tongue in cheek, “I love this show and I love this role, and this time, God willing with the distinguished Harry B.Parker’s guidance, I’m hoping to finally get it right.”
This concert version will be directed by Harry Parker, who is returning to his native Oklahoma City for the occasion, with Musical direction by Dr. Sandra Thompson and choreography by Hui Cha Poos.
Bibb, an Oklahoma native and OCU graduate returns to Oklahoma City and the CityRep stage. Bibb is a highly regarded Broadway veteran, having logged more than 1000 performances of the role of Christine in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, as well as performing Amalia in She Loves Me on the great white way. Bibb has also given a command performance at The White House and earned a Helen Hayes Award nomination and a Carbonell Award for her performances.
CityRep describes the show as, “..following traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band that he vows to organize — despite the fact he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, the town librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain’s fall.”
This show marks the start of CityRep’s 17th season as Oklahoma’s award-winning professional theatre. Don Jordan, Founding Artistic Director explains that, “THE MUSIC MAN IN CONCERT is part of a new trend in leading American regional theatres. The concept is known as PublicWorks. Introduced by the Public Theatre in NYC in the past 5 years, leading theatres across the country, including the Dallas Theater Center, have begun to expand the concept.”
Jordan says “The idea is to encourage community-wide involvement in the art form. We have reached out across our community to have extraordinary participation from a wide variety of fellow organizations including Oklahoma City Community College, University of Central Oklahoma, The Ambassadors Show Choir, RACE Dance company, OETA, Painted Sky Opera, The 405 Barbershop Quartet, OU, OCU and others. We anticipate the final company will be more than 100 strong, from across a wide swath of our community! This project embodies the Oklahoma “Good Neighbor” spirit.”
Jordan goes on to say that, “THE MUSIC MAN has been one of America’s most-beloved musicals for 60 years, and this unique concert version allows us to all celebrate our love for this classic and to embrace its message of community and of the power of the arts to enrich every life! CityRep’s mission is to serve Oklahoma’s diverse artistic, educational and civic needs by providing dynamic professional theatre. We entertain, enlighten and Inspire! Our vision is to be a vibrant regional theater that is vital to the cultural, educational and economic life of Oklahoma.”
It would be a shame not be charmed once again by the fast talking salesman in this family-friendly, 6 time Tony Award winning musical comedy.
The Music Man In Concert will be performed at the, Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater at Oklahoma City Community College, Friday September 28 and 29th at 7:30pm and Sunday September 30 at 1:30pm
For more information and tickets call: Box Office: 405-848-3761 Direct Cell: 405-505-7828

Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about clinical trials and how to go about finding one?  Old and Ill

Dear Old,
Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans participate in clinical trials in hopes of gaining access to the latest, and possibly greatest, but not yet on the market treatments for all types of illnesses. But, you need to be aware that clinical trials can vary greatly in what they’re designed to do, so be careful to choose one that can actually benefits you. HereÕs what you should know along with some tips for locating one.
Clinical Trials
A clinical trial is the scientific term for a test or research study of a drug, device or medical procedure using people. These trials sponsored by drug companies, doctors, hospitals and the federal government are conducted to learn whether a new treatment is safe and if it works. But, keep in mind that these new treatments are also unproven, so there may be risks too.
Also be aware that all clinical trials have certain eligibility criteria (age, gender, health status, etc.) that you must meet in order to be accepted. And before taking part in a trial, you’ll be asked to sign an informed consent agreement. You can also leave a study at any time.
Find a Trial
Every year, there are more than 100,000 clinical trials conducted in the U.S. You can find them by asking your doctor who may be monitoring trials in his or her specialty. Or, you can look for them on your own at ClinicalTrials.gov. This website, sponsored by the National Institutes of Heath, contains a comprehensive database of federally and privately supported clinical studies in the U.S. and abroad on a wide range of diseases and conditions, including information about each trial’s purpose, who may participate, locations, and phone numbers for more details.
If you want some help finding the right trial, try ResearchMatch.org, a web-based resource created by Vanderbilt University that connects willing patients with researchers of clinical trial. Or, use the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation at CISCRP.org. This is a nonprofit organization that will take your information online or over the phone and do a thorough clinical trials search for you, and mail or email you the results within a week or two. Call 877-633-4376 for assistance.
Those with dementia and their caregivers can also locate clinical trials at the Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch at TrialMatch.alz.org.
Things to Know
Before deciding to participate in a trial, you need to first discuss it with your doctor to make sure it is appropriate for you. Then, schedule an appointment with the study’s medical team and ask lots of questions, such as:
* What’s the purpose of the study and can it improve my condition?
* What are the risks?
* What kinds of tests and treatments does the study involve, and how often and where they are performed?
* Is the experimental treatment in the study being compared with a standard treatment or a placebo?
* Who’s paying for the study? Will I have any costs, and if so, will my insurance plan or Medicare cover the rest?
* What if something goes wrong during or after the trial and I need extra medical care? Who pays?
For more information on clinical trials for older adults visit the National Institute on Aging (nia.nih.gov/health/clinical-trials), which has many informative articles including one on Òquestions to ask before participating in a clinical trial.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

The Western Dressage Association® of America is hosting its sixth annual Western Dressage World Championship Show Sept. 27-30 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. Entries are open through Sept. 5, and no qualifying is necessary. Admission is free for spectators.

Competitors from across the United States and internationally will vie for 77 world championships, more than 30 breed high-score awards and 20 divisional championship belt buckles. Other competitions include musical freestyle jackpot classes.

New in 2018 is the addition of therapeutic riding exhibition classes, where the benefits of western dressage – and the partnership it can create with a horse – will be on full display.

“Western dressage honors the partnership between horses and riders, and that was certainly on display at our 2017 World Show,” said WDAA World Show Committee Chairwoman Ellen DiBella. “I was especially thrilled to see the riders in our Physically Challenged division.”

In 2017, three-time world champion Shawn Makepeace, who is legally blind, earned that divisional championship on her American Quarter Horse mare, Mosly A Rose. Volunteers held bright LED lights at each letter around the dressage arena, making it possible for Makepeace, of Belleville, Ill., to discern the location of the letters as she rode her western dressage tests.

This inclusive sport is welcoming to all types of horses and both beginner and expert riders alike. Older horses have also found success in this discipline – many of them on their second or third career.

“It’s so exciting to see horses in their mid-20s competing successfully,” DiBella said.

A great example was the American Quarter Horse Spindoll, who in 2017 at age 25 helped her rider, Rose Ruotsalainen of Cheney, Wash., earn three junior world championships, two reserve world championships and the overall junior divisional championship at the introductory level.

Support from generous sponsors is what makes this championship show work. Sponsorships are still available for classes, welcome parties and other awards, and inquiries are welcomed.

WDAA’s mission is to build an equine community that combines the traditions of the American West with classical dressage. We honor the horse, and we value the partnership between horse and rider.

WDAA is a 501(c)3 educational not-for-profit organization, focusing on educating riders and promoting the ethics and values inherent in western dressage. The United States Equestrian Federation has recognized WDAA as the sole affiliate representing the discipline of western dressage.

To learn more, or for entry or sponsorship information, go online to www.wdaaworldshow.org.

“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get back up.” – Vince Lombardi

by Brandon Rabhar

Blake Leeper, an eight-time Paralympic Track and Field international medalist, world record holder and three-time American record holder, knows all too well the hurt that accompanies falling down. Physically, he has fallen down time and again due to being born with no legs. In the eyes of the Paralympics community, he has fallen from grace due to self-admitted bad personal life decisions.
But every time Blake Leeper has fallen, he has got back up stronger than ever before. And each time, he has risen with a newfound purpose in his life.
Born in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, Blake has defied the odds since the moment his parents Billy and Edith welcomed their baby boy in 1989.
“Being born missing one leg is a one in 40,000 chance,” said the jovial Leeper. “But being born without two legs? Those are astronomical numbers.”
Doctors told Leeper’s parents that the best case scenario for their legless son would be living life in a wheelchair. Fortunately for Leeper, his mother knew better. Edith worked as a nurse and was heavily involved in the medical community.
“This is not going to be his story,” Edith told those doctors and her husband nearly 30 years ago. Truly prophetic, Edith knew the key to changing the course of her son’s life was prosthetics.
Fast forward four years, and young Blake had major surgery so that his first legs would fit his little body better. For eight long weeks, Blake was in a full body cast and a wheelchair.
“I remember every single day being in that wheelchair and wanting to go outside. I knew in my head this was the last time I wanted to be in a wheelchair and it was,” recalls Leeper. “From that point on, I’ve been living life to the fullest.”
A purpose was born.
Blake, armed with legs for the first time, literally hit the ground running. He played any and every sport. He roller-bladed with his older brother Kris. So many times in those physically formative years, Blake’s legs would break or fall off, but he would always get back up. His main objective was to show the world how much he could do with his new legs.
In high school, Blake’s best friend just happened to be the best athlete on campus. His name was Coty Sensabaugh, who is currently starring at cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Coty pushed me in a lot of areas where other people were afraid to push me,” said Leeper. “When you’re dealing with people with a disability, others are afraid to push us. But the only way we can get better is to be challenged.”
After high school, Blake enrolled at the University of Tennessee as a pre-med student. He was ready to hang up the sneakers and become an orthopedic surgeon. That all changed the moment he saw Oscar Pistorius sprint across his television during the 2008 Olympics.
“It was the first time I saw an amputee on TV in a major sport,” said Leeper. “I remember thinking, ‘This is what I want to do! I have to get those blades!’”
A purpose was redefined.
Blake got his first pair of running legs the next year. Before he even had time to start seriously training, he and his parents drove 14 hours to Oklahoma to participate in the Endeavor Games and his first ever race. As a rookie competing in a field stacked with national champs, the odds were stacked against him. The doe-eyed novice took first place in all three events he raced in: the 100, 200, and 400 meters.
Two whirlwind weeks later, Blake found himself racing in an international event in Brazil. He ran even faster than he did in Oklahoma, won a silver medal and came close to conquering the world champion.
In 2012, Blake tied Pistorius’s record time in the 400 meters going into the London Paralympics. He was ranked #1 in the 100, #1 in the 200, and #2 in the 400. In London, Blake won the silver medal in the 400 behind previous inspiration Pistorius and took home the bronze in the 200.
Only a few years after getting his running blades, Blake became a celebrated media mainstay. He played alongside superstars Kevin Hart and Chadwick Boseman in the NBA All Star Celebrity Game. His positive personality was welcomed on The Queen Latifah show, the Arsenio Hall show, and the Naomi Campbell fashion show. For the first time in his life, Blake was making big money.
“My life changed and I wasn’t prepared for it. I left college to quit partying, and I changed my environment but I didn’t change the person inside of me,” said Leeper. “I started hanging with the wrong people. Track, TV, interviews, flying everywhere for events. The only way I knew to balance that was to drink.”
Relying on talent, Blake was able to pull off the delicate balancing act of partying and still competing and winning. He broke every American record. He seemed invincible on and off the track.
In 2015, Blake did cocaine and a week later raced in the US Paralympic Nationals, breaking the American record. But he failed the drug test. The punishment was a one year suspension, reduced from two years behind the promise that Blake would get clean. The story broke in the Los Angeles Times.
“I lost my career, I lost my sponsorships, and I lost my legs,” said Leeper. “I hit rock bottom.”
A purpose was knocked down. But it would get back up.
Determined to come back stronger and faster after serving his suspension, Blake needed to find a new pair of running legs. Aaron Holmes from Wiggle Your Toes connected Blake with Scott Sabolich Prosthetics.
Blake walked into the building, back in Oklahoma where his racing career had begun, for the first time wearing two different pairs of legs that he had duct taped together.
“I had to go into my closet of legs I had collected over the years and put them together myself. I walked out with three pairs of legs,” said Leeper. “Scott Sabolich Prosthetics, they’re the best in the world. Their facilities, their lab, their staff. And for them to want to take a chance on me was truly amazing.”
Refocused, Blake was ready to prove that he was the fastest amputee in the world. Along with the new legs, he obtained new coaches, management, a trainer, and a nutritionist in preparation for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. Running was no longer a hobby or a job, it was his life.
One year after testing positive for cocaine, Blake dropped his 400 meters time from 48 seconds, an American record at the time, to 46.1 seconds. He made the 2016 Paralympics team.
“My parents and my girlfriend Sadie are in Rio. We got a dog and named it Rio. Two weeks before the Paralympics, I got a call. The USA approved my deal, but the international committee did not,” Leeper said. “I was devastated, but I knew it was a self-inflicted wound. I took responsibility.”
After that life altering phone call, Blake went to his room, took off his legs and didn’t leave for three days. His coaches had to bust down Blake’s door to get him out. He walked out of that door a new man.
A fun and easygoing soul, Blake was mad and trained with a chip on his shoulder. The 46.1 he ran qualified him for the 2017 able body national championships, making history as the first amputee to qualify for any national championships.
At trials, Blake ran a blazing 45.5, qualifying for the semifinals. The man with no legs beat 2016 Olympians. The next day, Blake ran a 45.25 and broke Pistorius’s amputee world record, a personal goal of his from day one. He finished 12th overall out of top 64 fastest runners in the nation.
A purpose fulfilled.
To make the 2020 Olympic relay team, Blake needs to cut his time down about half a second and place top 6 overall. That’s his primary focus on the track these days. But it’s getting his life off the track back on the right track that defines the man.
“I love to talk about my failures because those were the most important days of my life. Being suspended actually saved my life,” Leeper said. “That’s my message. It’s one thing being born without legs. I didn’t have a choice. But as an adult, I had to lie in the bed I made. My mamma always said that.”
Edith Leeper was right. Being in a wheelchair would not be her son’s story. His story is one of triumph, tragedy, redemption and most importantly, purpose. And it’s a story that he fully embraces and loves.
“I’m living life to the fullest right now, trying to be present in the moment,” said Leeper. “But down the road, I’m gonna be like holy smokes, I played basketball with Black Panther!”