Susan Tachau sat in the doctor's office cradling her 9-month-old son, Michael Anderson, who had been born 12 weeks premature, when the pediatrician offhandedly remarked, "By the way, your son has cerebral palsy." While in that moment, in 1982, Susan had no idea what that meant-she'd never known anyone with a disability-the Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, mom soon realized the challenge ahead.
Though she and her husband, Mark, vowed Michael would live a good, happy life, as he grew, getting him the things he needed for them to keep that promise became a nightmare. Health insurance only covered durable medical equipment, like wheelchairs, canes and walkers. Susan and Mark needed to shell out $30,000 for an adaptive vehicle to transport him. Unable to walk, Michael had to be carried upstairs to use the bathroom; they couldn't afford to make the downstairs bathroom accessible until, when Michael was 12, Mark got tenure as a law school professor. Even then, they had to take out a high-interest home equity loan.
What about families that don't qualify for a loan. What do they do? Susan wondered.
A take-charge type of person, Susan decided she would do something to help them as well.
Offering help and hope
Having worked for 11 years as the policy director for the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, Susan combined her financial knowledge with her personal experience as a mom of a child with disabilities and, in 1998, she launched Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF), which works to bring the technologies that are cost-prohibitive to people with disabilities.
"This isn't going to be a handout, but rather a helping hand," she told Mark.
Denne historien er fra October 17, 2022-utgaven av Woman's World.
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Denne historien er fra October 17, 2022-utgaven av Woman's World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Natural relief from back pain
With so much fun to be had during the holidays, the last thing you want is to be sidelined with back pain.
"Breathing like this cured my incontinence!"
After suffering with bladder leaks following the birth of her children, Kim Vopni discovered a hack that supercharged her Kegels to strengthen her pelvic floor...and changed her life
Make it merry!
Spread joy with these too-cute treats that are a cinch to make with our simple decorating technique
Eat to fix your health hassles
A few quick 'hacks' let you enjoy every bite of your festive favorites without concerns over blood-sugar spikes, high blood pressure or painful bloating getting in the way. The best part? They couldn't be easier.
"Help me feel more joy this holiday!"
It's a fraught time of year for so many reasons, but our experts promise you can beat the holiday blues and rediscover true contentment
"This deaf pup gives hope to hundreds of kids!"
When teacher Chris Hannah adopted a deaf pit bull, he was inspired by his nephew, who is also deaf. But Chris never could have imagined how much hope and love the dog would inspire in so many others
"I'm getting invited to holiday parties with gift exchanges. I want to attend, but the cost of extra presents really adds up. How can I stay within my budget but also participate?"
Most of us can certainly relate to your situation: We’re thrilled when family and friends include us in Christmas festivities, but when these events also include Secret Santa or White Elephant gift swaps, we’re faced with having to buy presents we hadn’t budgeted for.
How to melt stubborn menopause belly fat
\"I've seen a big shift in my body since I went into perimenopause,\" shares menopause advocate Tamsen Fadal, author of How to Menopause (March 2025).
Burn fat in your sleep
By mid-December, most of us are short on time and energy-yet we'd still love to slim down a bit before Santa arrives. Is there a realistic way to make it happen? \"Yes!\" says 60 Seconds to Slim author Michelle Schoffro Cook, Ph.D., who is sharing holiday-friendly hacks proven to rev metabolism 24/7. \"That means burning more fat even as we sleep,\" she says. Readers who've tested just one or two of her hacks report shedding 1 to 2 pounds a week with no special diet. And Schoffro Cook adds that the strategies tend to soothe inflammation inside our body, which helps release water weight. The bottom line: With minimal effort, we can truly drop a pant size by Christmas Eve!
Best new holiday books
Woman's World Book Club
