By Laura McAlister Journal EditorWhen Ellen Marie Edmonds met her husband, the late Frank Edmonds, he was a CEO, not a soldier. Late in his life, though, she did get to meet the soldier as well as the teenager and child that her husband once was.Frank suffered from vascular dementia, a disease similar to Alzheimer's, the last two years of his life and succumbed to the … [Read more...]
Identity Crisis
By Laura McAlisterTo describe it as a bad hair day would be an understatement.Instead, Liz DeFuniak Landgren of Homewood refers to it as "the day my hair fell out."It happened some eight years ago. The model and mother was just weeks away from the arrival of her second child."I was in the shower, and my hair just started falling out," she said. "I called my … [Read more...]
CanSurvive Supports Women With Gynecologic Cancers
By Laura McAlisterCheryl Bourn has been cancer free for more than five years, but she's still an active member of the CanSurvive cancer support group.For her, the group is not just about coping with cancer. It's also about education and awareness.Cheryl is the president of CanSurvive, a nonprofit organization that supports women with gynecologic cancers and their … [Read more...]
A Stroke of Genius
By Laura McAlister Journal EditorWhen Emily Schreiber was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age nine, she didn't despair. Instead, she went to work.For the past nine years, Emily, a 2011 graduate of Mountain Brook High School and freshman at Furman University, has been raising money for CF research and awareness. In 2005, she even started her own nonprofit foundation, … [Read more...]
Hitting the Right Notes
By Jennifer Taylor Journal Intern Michele Miree Smith, a Mountain Brook resident and songwriter, recently released her first CD, “Reflections of the Son.” The album features 15 songs written and sung by Michele as well as others in the Birmingham area.Michele said her songwriting hobby came about unexpectedly.“I never really thought about songwriting until I was … [Read more...]