Portraits in Caregiving

This short film profiles two caregivers and illustrates the type of support TRC offers to help them meet their daily challenges.




Special thanks to Dustin Ogdin, owner/founder of Spoke Digital Films for production of this short film.
 

Additional Information:

Story 1

Meet Gunther Knaup whose wife, Sylvia has Parkinson’s disease.  As the disease has progressed, her need for constant attention has increased.  Gunther is her full-time caregiver and also continues to do his own work as a pianist and professional musician.  Gunther is from Germany and has played all over the world and has even performed for the queen.  He heard about TRC through a friend and now has a caregiver come in a few times during the week so he can work or simply rest.

"I’m glad the TRC is here and that I am not all alone having to handle this by myself."
 

Story 2

Meet Leslie Hill whose son Blake was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a terminal form of muscular dystrophy, at a very early age.  At the time of his diagnosis, the hospital determined he would not live long.  They could do very little for him and released him from the hospital only sending him home with a ventilator for whatever time he had left.  He lived until he was seven, much longer than expected.  Leslie and her husband found themselves having to care for little Blake 24/7.  Having two other children, they needed time to spend with their other children, maintain a house and find a little time to rest themselves.  They could not afford a full-time nurse.  The TRC helped by offering money for them to get a caregiver from time to time.  In one instance, they were able to attend a high school football game to watch their daughter who was a cheerleader.  They had only seen her cheer once before, so seeing her cheer at this special homecoming game was a rare treat for the family.

"We would not have been able to do that without the help we received from the TRC."