The Mark White Show

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Meesha Emmett with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Alabama Chapter, sharing encouragement for anyone who is struggling. Meesha reminds us that our lives and stories matter, that we aren’t alone, and that reaching out for help is a step we can take.

If you or someone you love needs support, call or text 988 to connect with someone who will listen.

Listen to The Mark White Show podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and share this message with someone who needs encouragement.

This Make a Difference Minute is brought to you by Hydration Lounge, helping me share stories that encourage others and remind people they matter. I appreciate their support of The Mark White Show and hope you’ll support them, too.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Chase Woods, founder of Rocket City Adapted Athletics.

Born with muscular dystrophy, Chase remembers reaching a point when he could no longer keep up with other kids in sports and began feeling isolated. At 15, an invitation to play wheelchair basketball gave him an opportunity that would ultimately help shape what he’s doing today.

Now, through Rocket City Adapted Athletics, Chase is giving young athletes that same opportunity—not only to compete and develop their skills, but to grow into confident young people.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Buffy Loveday with the Sumner County, Tennessee chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Buffy shares from her own childhood what it means to grow up without a bed and why providing one can mean so much more to a child than simply having somewhere to sleep. A bed can become a place of comfort, security and something that belongs to them.

It’s why one reaction from children receiving their new beds says so much: “My bed.”

For more information about Sleep in Heavenly Peace, visit SHPBeds.org⁠.

This Make a Difference Minute is brought to you by Premier Structures, Inc., proudly supporting stories and the people who make our communities strong.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I have JoHelene Patrick with the Alabama Kidney Foundation. As a former kidney patient herself, Jo Helen understands the importance of support, awareness and recognizing kidney disease before it progresses.

She shares why people with diabetes or high blood pressure should talk with their healthcare provider about kidney health and the two simple tests—a blood test and urine test—that can help identify potential problems.

JoHelene also shares how the Alabama Kidney Foundation works with Legacy of Hope to encourage organ donation.

For more information, visit Alabama Kidney Foundation⁠.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I’m sharing a thought about some of the decisions we make about ourselves when we’re young and why it may be worth revisiting them years later.

You’ve changed & you’ve grown. Does that old conclusion still fit the person you are today?

This Make a Difference Minute is brought to you by Athens Bible School, proudly supporting stories and the people who make our communities strong.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I want to share a personal thought for anyone who has ever looked at what they’ve been through and wondered why life had to be so difficult.

Some experiences are unfair & burdens are heavier than anyone should have to carry. We can acknowledge what happened & recognize how deeply it affected us without allowing it to determine everything that comes next.

Our time here is limited, and at some point, we have to decide what we’re going to do with what remains.

Sometimes that requires resilience & tenacity. It can also mean changing direction, accepting help, or simply trying again.

We may never get an explanation for some of what we’ve endured, but there’s something meaningful about being able to look back and say, “I took what I had, and I did the best I could with it.”

This Make a Difference Minute is brought to you by Bama Estate Planning by Attorney Harlan D. Mitchell, proudly supporting stories and the people who make our communities strong.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Kinsey Grace Canerday as she shares about Avie Gail's Adorning and the support they provide to families grieving the loss of a child.

Through floral arrangements, financial assistance for funeral services and care packages, Avie Gail’s Adorning reminds grieving parents that they are seen, their children are remembered, and they do not have to walk through loss alone. Kinsey also shares a lesson from her own loss—that grief, love & joy can coexist.

To learn more, follow Abigail’s Adorning on Facebook, call Kinsey at 256-648-7470, or email [email protected].

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When Kinsey Grace Canerday lost her daughter, Avie Gail, at just 18 hours old, the kindness of others helped her family through days they never imagined facing. As they received support, Kinsey recognized a need. She made Avie Gail’s funeral flowers herself, knowing that another grieving parent might not be able to do the same.

That experience became the beginning of Avie Gail's Adorning. Today, Kinsey and her husband, Dylan, honor their daughter by helping families with floral arrangements, keepsake necklaces, and financial assistance for funeral services.

Tonight, Kinsey joins me to share Avie Gail’s story and explain why remembering a child’s name, checking in months later, and continuing to include grieving parents can mean so much. We’ll also discuss the third annual golf tournament on October 3rd at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, Alabama, and how golfers, businesses, and families can help.

Tonight’s show is dedicated to Avie Gail’s memory. I hope you’ll listen and share this conversation. Someone you know may need this support or may be in a position to offer it.

Special thanks to Jessy Tipton for connecting us.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Timmy Pickett, a husband, father of three and longtime steel foundry worker who is searching for a kidney donor.

With his kidney function declining and a GFR of 14, Timmy hopes to receive a transplant before dialysis becomes necessary. He shares what’s weighing most heavily on him—the thought of leaving his family behind—and how a living donor could give him more time to fish, hunt, play with his boys and simply be there as they grow.

Potential donors can visit Vanderbilt Health’s kidney transplant website and inquire about donating for James T. Pickett.

This Make a Difference Minute is brought to you by Athens Bible School, proudly supporting stories and the people who make our communities strong.

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On this edition of The Mark White Show, I'm talking with Jewell Brown, a mother and grandmother who is courageously living with end stage kidney failure and searching for a living kidney donor.

Twenty years ago, Jewell received a kidney transplant from her mother, a gift that allowed her to raise her sons, build a life, and become the proud Mimi of three grandchildren. That transplant gave her years she is deeply grateful for. Now, as that kidney begins to fail, Jewell faces the difficult reality of daily dialysis while hoping someone will step forward to give her another chance at life.

In this conversation, Jewell shares what life is really like while waiting for a transplant, the physical and emotional challenges of kidney failure, and the hope she holds onto as she continues her search for a living donor.

This episode is a reminder that sometimes the simplest act, sharing a story, can help connect someone in need with the person who can change their life.

Real stories.

Real people.

Real impact.

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