Women of CourageInspirational women who went to great lengths for their kids

The universe is blessed to have women as there’s nothing stronger than a mother’s love.

After reading about these legendary women, you’ll know there’s no limit to how far a mothers love can go and how deep it can be.You don’t need to be wealthy or educated to be an outstanding mother, it only takes a heart that loves the child deeply.

With this article we are honoring inspirational women who were outstanding in their sacrifice of love for their children..

I believe there are many outstanding women out there but these three women swept me off feet with the lengths they went to for their kids. They are icons on the value of good sound mother roles;

TERRY JO BICHELL

Dr.Terry Jo Bichell Is the director of the angelman biomarkers outcome measures alliance she also serves as Tennessee’s volunteer ambassador for the rear action network, a project of the national for rare disorders (NORD)

Bichell aged 59, midwife and mother of 5 at age 50 set out to cure angelman syndrome which was out of pure desire to help her son Louie and thousands of other children suffering from the disorder

Terry Bichell gave birth to Louie in February 1999 (20 years ago) to her husband Dr. David Bichell, now chief of pediatric cardiac surgery at Vanderbilt’s. Louie was diagnosed with AS around his first birthday. Angelman syndrome affects one in about 12,000 babies worldwide

The condition is caused by a DNA ditch in chromosome 15.

Angelman syndrome is marked by delayed brain development, uncoordinated motor function, lack of speech, seizures, sleep disorders, and behaviour difficulties. Bichell was prompt to find a drug that turns on the gene that causes Angelman

The Angelman community was reluctant to use the word “cure ”but Bichell knew she had to research and work on a drug that would turn on the gene which she eventually singlehandedly worked on. She’s not at all disappointed other scientists beat her to it.

Luoie is extremely lucky for his entire life, his mother has gone extraordinary lengths to try to cure him. Bichell decided that the best thing she could do for her son is to become a scientist herself.

Terry Jo made important contributions to the field. In 2015 she coauthored a study that made a link to angelman to slowdown in the body’s circadian rhythm.

Finally, in 2016 at the age of 56 Terry Jo was awarded her doctorate degree

Today Louie is a ninth-grader at Hillsboro High school, he’s a kind of celebrity among his classmates, friends and family. He is able to learn better and have more control which is all his mother had ever wanted him.

ROSIE MCINTYRE

Rosie is the mother of 5 children and a nurse aid by profession, she was the mother of Lamonte (An alleged ex-Convict) who is an athlete and fun loving child born in 1977.He was born without a violent bone in his body.

The outstanding role of Rosie has an inspirational mother began in April 15 1994 when police arrested Lamonte at age 17. He was arrested in connection with a double homicide crime in their Kansas City neighborhood. Rosie was sure at the moment that his son was innocent. Six months after his arrest Lamonte was sentenced to two life terms for the crime, following two decades after the incident Rosie dedicated her life to fight for the release of her son, making phone calls and writing petitions.

In the process of looking for justice for her son Rosie was sexually assaulted by a detective when she later tried to report to the Kansas, City police department she was told “officers don’t do such things “

For years not being believed she kept silent about the issue. She never linked what had happen to her with her son’s incarceration. She choose to fight for her son instead.

Eventually Rosie connects with Centurion ministries a nonprofit organization that helps free wrongfully imprisoned people.

Finally, in October 2017 a judge agreed with the district attorney that Lamonte is serving a jail term he shouldn’t be serving and that day he was set free.

Now Lamonte is happily married.

STEPHANIE DECKER

Stephanie Decker provides the inspiration and motivation needed to every individual.

On March 22, 2012, a tornado descended on Stephanie Decker’s house in southern Indiana. She was at home with her kids. Down in the basement she told her kids, Dominic (then 8) and Resse (then 5) to lie down, then she quickly wrapped them in a blanket and covered their head with her Torso, as the walls crumble Stephanie’s body was lowered and was trapped between bricks and rocks and then a 20” Feet stellar beam crashed down on her legs.

She later send her son to find help before she was rushed to the hospital. Her legs were later amputated and her kids survived the crash. Few months after the accident, Stephanie and her husband Joe Decker founded the Stephanie Decker foundation which supports two major areas: children with prosthetics and accessibility to leading edge prosthetic products.

Stephanie Decker was named as one of the L’Oréal’s 2014 women of worth honorees.

Since the accident, Stephanie has become a true symbol of overcoming adversity and survival.

BALIKIS ADETOKUN

Mrs. Balikis Adetokun of Alagbado area of Lagos state, aged 52 years is a Nigerian mother of 3 who saved the life of her daughter Ganiyat, when she urgently needed a kidney transplant outside Nigeria in 2017.

Though much is not documented about her motherly sacrifice, the Punch feature story published on August 17, 2018, had the complete story of her experience and that of other Nigerians who donated a kidney to their loved ones.

When Ganiyat was diagnosed with kidney disease, initially one of her brothers had volunteered to donate his kidney for her. Unfortunately doing the cross-matching process it was discovered that his blood group does not match that of Ganiyat. Mrs. Adetokun had to struggle to overcome her fear of losing herself and her child. The surgery was carried out in India on April 13 2017.

Her sacrifice does not only portray her as an inspirational woman it went further to tell a sweet tale of how beautiful a mother’s heart is. The implication of not donating her kidney to Ganiyat is that she would have been dead by now.

Ganiyat Adetokun is now very much okay and doing well in her chosen field of tailoring.

NICOLE ALLES

Nicole Alles is a home healthcare nurse in Indianapolis. Alles is a foster mom who later got to adopt Sebastian; who she took in and gave a lifesaving gift.

Nicole and her husband have been fostering children for more than a decade of their togetherness, they however took a break at a point to decide if they really want to keep fostering children. It was awhile after this they got a call about a boy no one is willing to adopt because of all of his health implications.

Sebastian was born in October 2014 with stage four chronic heart disease coupled with several health conditions ranging from end stage renal to collapsed lungs. The biggest issue he had at that moment was that his kidney weren’t working and he needs to be placed on dialysis. Sebastian was confirmed to need a new kidney by Dr.Myda Khalid, the children’s kidney doctor at Riley hospital.

It was at this point Nicole and her husband signed to take him home and Nichole Alles had to do his dialysis at home. Four months later Sebastian’s biological parent discontinued their parental right. He was later adopted legally by the Nicole’s in 2016.

After waiting for Sebastian to be strong for a transplant, Alles went through extensive testing and was found to be a perfect match. The kidney transplant went successfully which thereafter improve his quality of life.

Nicole believes she mothers Sebastian to save his life and make herself fulfilled. She said “being able to save my son’s life makes me very emotional, very fortunate, very blessed and very happy because I know that I was a part of that”

Today Sebastian is two year post operation and healthier than ever.