River of Refuge newsletter, July 2025

More Than an Apple a Day: Retired Physicians Provide Health Advice to River of Refuge Parents

Here’s a pro tip from a retired physician: Request a copy of an X-ray, CT scan, MRI, or other images from your doctor.

“I think that’s really important; most people don’t realize this,” said Dr. Keith Jantz, an internist who practiced in the Kansas City area for approximately 40 years. “If you go in and see a specialist after that, take that disc with you. It just moves everything along quicker.”

River of Refuge parents benefited from that advice and much more information that Jantz provided during two recent talks. He and another retired physician, Dr. Beth Andres, also a retired internist, presented a three-part series in June as part of River of Refuge’s Monday evening life skills class.

The talks came about through the relationship that River of Refuge Executive Director Pam Seymour has with Rusty Ryan, a retired pharmacist.

Ryan has had a long association with KC Shepherd’s Center, which Seymour ran before coming to River of Refuge.

Ryan set up the life-skills presentations through his role as the coordinator of the retired physicians’ speakers bureau of the Kansas City Medical Society Foundation.

In addition to his talk on getting the most out of your doctor visit, Jantz presented on 10 ways to live longer. Andres talk was entitled “What happy people do, you can do too.”

In his talk on living longer, Jantz stressed the importance of regular medical physicals, healthy eating, and high-quality sleep. No. 1 on the list was regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

About 10 physicians participate in the speakers bureau, which generally gives about 50 talks a year to a total audience of approximately 2,000 listeners. Ryan expects to exceed those totals this year.

Ryan has been “overwhelmed by the willingness” of retired physicians to be part of the speaker’s bureau. “They’re more than happy to participate.”

He jumped at the chance to schedule presentations at River of Refuge because of its mission.

River of Refuge also aligned with the goal of the speaker’s bureau to reach younger audiences; many of its appearances come at senior living centers, though it has been making inroads with groups of pre-retirees.

Speaker’s bureau participants hope to present at more schools, but Jantz said it’s also important to talk with adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.

“I think we’ll have more of an impact on their health from a preventative standpoint, and so I was really excited about the fact that we were out of River of Refuge because I knew it would be a younger group of people,” he said.

He also noted the importance of advising River of Refuge parents on cost-effective ways to stay healthy because of their limited finances. The parents were engaged and asked good questions, Jantz said.

“I hope we can continue to make presentations to the group out there,” he said.

Individuals interested in presentations by the Kansas City Medical Society Foundation – Retired Physicians Speakers Bureau can contact Debbie Sparks (dsparks@kcmedicine.org) or Dr. Rusty Ryan (rustyryan@swbell.net).

 

July Happenings

ROR Receives Unexpected Donation from Missouri Department of Corrections

Well, we didn’t see this coming!

What a pleasant surprise it was to hear from the Missouri Department of Corrections in St. Joseph, Missouri. We were unfamiliar with the Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in St. Joe, but the activities coordinator there contacted our executive director in July to offer donations of cold-weather gear made by inmates at the institution.

And sure enough, the week after the call, a box with 61 lovely hats and a beautiful quilt appeared at our building. We are thrilled to know such programs exist in these state facilities.

According to the corrections department website, here is a summary of how its facilities operate:

“Each adult institution operates like a small city whose residents work in jobs, go to school, eat meals together in dining halls and access treatment for medical or behavioral-health issues. They participate in programs designed to help them change their mindsets, develop a deep understanding of the impact of crime on victims, and make positive contributions to communities inside and outside prison walls. More than 95 percent of offenders committed to prison ultimately are released. Preparing them to transition successfully to the community improves public safety and reduces future victimization.”

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Splashdown! River Church Hosts Pool Party

Thanks to River Church, our families can escape the stifling summer heat with the free passes the church provides to its community pool.

River Church also hosted River of Refuge staff and families for a pool party the evening of July 15. We all enjoyed the cookout and the opportunities to splash around.

One of our kids, a 14-year-old with special needs, wants to be a minister when he grows up. So we indulged his desire to “baptize” everyone who was in the pool.

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Congratulations to Render’s Hope

River of Refuge staff were delighted in July to help celebrate the new church connected with Render’s Hope Community Development Corp., one of our most devoted partners.

The festivities included a bounce house, games, face painting, and hair cutting, along with hot dogs and ice cream.

We are thrilled that families have access to daycare and afterschool through the church. It was also nice to meet representatives from Medicaid Insurance Choices, who we hope will be part of our speaker lineup for Life Skills class next year.

 

FROM THE DIRECTOR

If you are like me, you consider children to be of singular importance every day. They are our future, and it’s why I dote on the kiddos living with us.

Yet lo and behold, as I recently looked at my calendar, I discovered that June 8 was officially National Children’s Day. That’s great — an additional spotlight for kids is welcome.

According to the Council for Professional Recognition, a credentialing body for early childhood educators, a 19th-century Massachusetts clergyman first proposed designating the second Sunday in June as National Children’s Day.

The idea of a National Children’s Day was still fresh in my head a few days later when I heard a morning report on National Public Radio that one in four U.S. children lives in a household where at least one parent suffers from Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD).

One in four. That’s a staggering number!

It’s not like I was unaware of SUD among parents — River of Refuge occasionally has families that include newly recovering addicts — but the extent of the problem was still shocking.

The story I heard referenced work by University of Michigan researchers, published in JAMA Pediatrics, that studied data from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, conducted by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Based on the survey and population data, the researchers estimated that nearly 19 million children under age 18 lived with one or more parents with an SUD in 2023.

More than 7.5 million lived with a parent with a moderate to severe SUD. Nearly 3.5 million had a parent with multiple SUDs. And more than 6 million children had at least one parent with a co-existing SUD and mental illness (defined as major depressive disorder or serious psychological distress).

The data are distressing because children don’t just witness dysfunction; they absorb, internalize, and often repeat it. And when the home becomes a place of chaos instead of safety, the ripple effects are devastating.

The dynamic between parents and children has a profound impact on how individuals grow, relate to others, and see themselves. High expectations and strict rules can have lasting effects on children.

What’s Being Done?

Interventions are available, though they could use more visibility and support:

Programs like River of Refuge: Providing transitional housing, life skills, and parenting support to families in crisis.

Trauma-informed schools and educators: Training teachers to recognize and respond to children affected by trauma.

Parenting education initiatives: Teaching emotional regulation, communication, and non-violent discipline.

Community-based mental health services: Though underfunded, these are growing in reach.

Faith-based and nonprofit organizations: Many are stepping in where systems fall short, offering mentorship, counseling, and safe spaces.

A question to ponder: What is our role as individuals watching this all unfold?

Until Next Time,
Pamela Seymour, Executive Director