One step at a time
A single candle decorated the homemade cake served to a gathering of family and friends on Nov. 11, 2006. "It's my one-year candle because one year ago my life was saved," says 48-year-old Tammy Peterson. "It's been a year of miracles and the first miracle is I'm here. I'm alive."
Nov. 11, 2005
It was a chilly evening in Warroad, Minn., when Tammy returned home from a Bible study. Her estranged boyfriend had been drinking, but even more frightening, he had a .22-caliber rifle. After a struggle, she ran from her home, hoping to escape to a neighbor's.
Read more about Tammy
Clinic guides refugee family's care
Like any newcomers settling in a new town, the Odawa family needed to establish reliable medical care. But this particular family faced far greater challenges. For the past two years, Hussein Isse, his wife, Khadra Guled, and their seven children lived as refugees in Kenya, having escaped civil war in Somalia.
Diabetes Exercise Program strikes a cord for retired music teacher
Diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago, Gaylord Fagerland knew MeritCare had a specialized exercise program that could help him, but he couldn't quite muster up the motivation to go.
Weight-loss surgery gives new life
For John Campbell, weight-loss surgery marked the beginning of a second life. "It was to the point where I was becoming overwhelmed with health problems," says the 36-year-old business owner, husband and father from Fargo.
New cataract surgery corrects vision
Dependent on glasses since he was 12 years old, Larry Martin at age 60 can hardly believe that today he has 20/20 vision without glasses. Not only that, his cataracts have been removed and he can see more clearly than he's seen in years.
Cancer research key to advanced care
Bill Silver of Fargo would be the first to say this past year has been a roller coaster ride. Diagnosed in early 2006 with multiple myeloma (a type of blood cancer that can affect the bones), he has undergone surgery for an upper-arm fracture, received a series of outpatient radiation treatments and for the past several months has participated in a clinical trial to evaluate the most effective schedule for a combination of medications proven successful in treating multiple myeloma.
Immediate help as close as a baby's next breath
The gift of a healthy baby means the world to parents. To Bill Marcil, Jr., and his wife Cris Linnares, Fargo, it may have meant even more. Baby Luiza arrived Jan. 8, 2006, healthy and weighing 8-pounds, 6-ounces. But within hours, the unexpected happened.
Organ donation helps family find the best in tragedy
The rain, sleet and wind on Nov. 12, 2005, weren't enough to stop 45-year-old Tim Gilbertson of Hawley, Minn. He was determined to finish a roofing job in Fargo so he could free himself to do what he really wanted – rebuild a 30-foot fifth-wheel camper that had barely survived a tornado.