Dianne Kylor from Hesston, PA was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2003 which resulted in laryngectomy to remove her voice box. Fortunately, Dianne is now cancer free, however, now she has to use an artificial larynx that she presses against her throat to be able to communicate.
Just like any type of equipment, the larynx wears down after awhile and it needs to be replaced. However, the technology is costly. This left Dianne in a situation where she was using the same Servox Digital larynx for close to five years and her ability to communicate with it was steadily getting worse. Dianne’s husband said that they “pushed through as long as they could” because they just didn’t have the funds to purchase a new one.
This is when her AUCP Service Coordinator, Terri Feather, reached out about the UCP Elsie S. Bellows fund, a national program offering grants to help people buy Assistive Technology equipment. Terri knew that Dianne needed a new artificial larynx to be able to communicate, so she worked with her to submit an application. A few weeks later, the application was approved and we were able to use the grant money to purchase a Servox Digital XL for Dianne.
The UCP Elsie S. Bellows fund is a phenomenal resource to individuals in need of assistive technology. The funds are granted through an application that each UCP affiliate, like AUCP, has access to. If you, or someone you know, is in a situation similar to Dianne, you can contact AUCP today to find out how to submit an application.
