Linda Winford & Kathy Lyons

A near drowning accident caused Rebecca to become a quadriplegic at age three. She cannot walk, breathes with the help of a tracheotomy, and is fed by a tube.

Rebecca needs help clearing her throat and lungs, which could easily cause her to get pneumonia and have to be hospitalized. For more than a year and a half, Rebecca was hospital-free because she used “the Vest,” a machine that clears her lungs and prevents choking and infections. But last fall, TennCare told the family they were going to take the Vest away. The family called TJC, and we helped them get ready for the hearing. They proved to the judge that it would be cheaper for TennCare and better for Rebecca to keep the Vest, so the judge ordered it. Ms. Winford said, “With the Tennessee Justice Center’s help, we were able to keep Rebecca’s Vest, and her respiratory health is excellent.”

Photo Credit: Tim Cope