Rural Development: An Impact that Saves Lives

On April 10, 2024, I received a call from my dad asking me to come help him at our family farm there had been an accident. The front axle of my dad's tractor had broken in half, and he had jumped off the tractor before it tipped over. When I arrived at the farm, my dad couldn't walk. I called a local ambulance to transport him to a trauma center in Topeka, Kan., for evaluation of his leg. The X-rays revealed a fracture in his tibia (shinbone), which led to emergency surgery.

The surgery was a success, with a plate and screws placed around the tibia to stabilize the fracture. However, following surgery, he was not able to put weight on his right leg for seven weeks. My dad, at 71 years old, needed round-the-clock care and had to choose where to go for additional care: a rehabilitation hospital in Topeka or a swing-bed in a rural hospital. My dad was adamant about his additional treatment being in a rural hospital.

Luckily, a swing bed at the Community HealthCare System (CHCS) hospital in Onaga, Kan., was available. The CHCS hospital is in the rural community of Onaga with nearly 700 residents. Dad spent the next 28 days at the hospital working on his rehabilitation with occupational and physical therapists. I truly can't thank the nurses and hospital staff enough for the amazing care they provided my dad. I never had to worry when I left the hospital; I always knew my dad was receiving the best possible care.

This was not my first visit to the CHCS hospital. In August 2015, I stood in the lobby of the new hospital while attending its ribbon-cutting ceremony with more than 200 community members and CHCS employees. Working for Rural Development, I have seen firsthand the impact rural hospitals have on the communities and the rural people they serve. Rural Development had provided the financing to help support CHCS's new hospital and renovations.

For the nearly 61 million individuals like my dad who live in a rural community, being able to receive the quality care they deserve in a setting that is comfortable to them is imperative for their recovery. Thank you to all the people who serve and support the health needs in our rural communities.