Fighting the good fight: Blount County mothers honored

Tennessee Justice Center

Photo courtesy of Mark Mosrie

Amy Davis (right), of Louisville, gets a hug from her son, Jacob Davis. Amy Davis will be honored as one of two Blount County women named Tennessee Justice Center’s Mother of the Year Tuesday in Nashville.

Suzette Byrd, of Maryville, and Amy Davis, of Louisville, will both be honored as "Mother of the Year" by the Tennessee Justice Center in recognition of their persistence in battling for the legal rights of their children. Suzette Byrd's son, Bradley, 13, has relied on a ventilator since he was 6 weeks old. Amy Davis' son, Jacob, 7, has a rare genetic disorder that requires him to use a machine to keep his lungs clear so he can breathe. He uses another machine to eat, and braces and a walker to get around.

By federal law, children on TennCare, like Bradley and Jacob, should receive all the medically necessary care they require; they are two of more than 670,000 Tennessee children who rely on TennCare for their health care. While the stories of the Byrd and Davis families are different, both mothers needed to fight for their children's rights to receive the care they require.

"The devotion of Suzette Byrd and Amy Davis to their children and their persistence in fighting for their sons' rights is an inspiring example of how Tennessee mothers -- and fathers -- bravely stand up for the rights of their sick and disabled children," said Michele Johnson, managing attorney at the Tennessee Justice Center, a non-profit public interest law and advocacy firm based in Nashville. "These parents face many obstacles in obtaining the care that their children need and legally should receive. Our annual 'Mother of the Year' recognition is a way to acknowledge their struggles, sacrifices and devotion to their children."

Byrd and Davis will be honored at a reception Tuesday in Nashville in recognition of their extraordinary commitment to their families and to the health of Tennessee's children. The reception will be hosted by Stites Harbison law firm.

The Byrd Family

Bradley Byrd is dependent on a ventilator and a feeding tube. He cannot talk or move; he sits in a wheelchair during the day. Bradley relies on eye gazes to communicate and on his parents and nurses completely for all his most basic daily activities as well as attending school and participating in therapy programs. His father, Barry, works full-time and his company provides health insurance for the family. However, in June 2006, the insurance company told the Byrds that Bradley had exhausted his lifetime limits.

With Bradley's continuing intensive medical needs, and no private insurance, the Byrds were fortunate to have TennCare to rely on as a safety net for Bradley. However, in October 2007, bills began to arrive at the Byrd family household although children receiving TennCare benefits are not supposed to receive bills from providers. The Byrds talked with the hospital and with doctors, trying to assert their rights, however, they were tangled in billing bureaucracy.

Worried about the mounting bills and the impact they might have on her son's medical care and her family's future, Suzette Byrd contacted the Tennessee Justice Center for help. After receiving letters from the Tennessee Justice Center, TennCare acted and notified the Byrds that they were not liable for the bills.

However, the Byrd family and thousands of other Tennessee families face new hurdles. Pending changes to TennCare mean that Bradley could lose his TennCare coverage. Without TennCare, his family could be in very serious trouble, facing tremendous medical care challenges for Bradley and overwhelming financial problems.

The Davis Family

While Jacob's rare genetic disorder means that he has many medical needs, he can talk and his friendliness and growing intellect shine through in his speech. In fall 2007, Jacob's doctor said he was ready to attend school and prescribed a one-on-one nurse to ensure his safety. However, Amy Davis was unable to find a nursing agency that would provide a nurse for Jacob. She appealed to the insurance company for help, but was told that there was nothing the company could do.

Wanting her child to learn and be part of a community of other students, Davis contacted the Tennessee Justice Center for help. Since Jacob is on TennCare, TennCare is ultimately responsible for providing needed care. After the Tennessee Justice Center contacted TennCare, a case manager was assigned to coordinate Jacob's care. Soon a nursing agency arranged staffing for Jacob. He is now attending school, learning and socializing in a stimulating environment.

The Davis family faces another problem. Because of a recent TennCare rule, Amy Davis was forced to quit her job so that there would be a "responsible adult" with Jacob at all times, in addition to the nurse. Unemployed because of this new rule, she is struggling to find work that she can do from home to support her family and meet the requirements of this new rule.

"The stories of Suzette Byrd and Amy Davis illustrate the constant challenges that thousands of Tennessee families face in their struggle to receive medically necessary care for their children," said Eric Sidler, a client advocate at the Tennessee Justice Center. "As TennCare rules constantly change, these families face new obstacles in their efforts to obtain care for their children."