OIAA Hero’s- Korey Stokes

A little over three years ago, Kory’ s asthma was out of control. He had required hospitalization almost every month. His skin was terrifying to look at. He had open, weeping sores all over his body. The skin at the joints were so split and raw that he kept his arms pulled up tight with elbows bent and could not straighten out his legs. Walking was agony for him and sometimes he just wouldn’ t even get out of bed.  We were not happy with the other allergists we had been to. We had heard everything from “ I don’ t know what to do for him” to “ let me do some research…” then nothing.  All the while, Kory’ s condition continued to worsen, along with his quality of life. He was no longer able to do “ normal, simple” things boys should be able to do, such as ride his bike, play with friends or even attend school.

After much research we found Dr. Darter. From the first visit, we were thrilled!  Dr. Darter took a personal and aggressive interest in Kory’ s condition. We finally felt like we had a partner. She immediately went to work getting his asthma managed using treatments and medications none of the other doctors had suggested in the past. Within 3-4 months we saw major improvements in his asthma. Since that time Kory has had asthma flares but his asthma is better controlled than it ever has been.

Dr. Darter was extremely proactive in going after the cause of his skin problems instead of just treating the symptoms. She suggested it might be an immunologic disorder and confirmed that diagnosis with further testing.

As a patient of Dr. Darter, Kory’ s quality of life has improved tremendously. He is now participating in wheelchair sports, which include his favorites, basketball and track & field. As quickly as Kory was deteriorating we truly feel Dr. Darter and her staff were instrumental in possibly saving his life.  Dr. Darter and her staff are, in our opinion, one of the best in the area or anywhere!!  We are immensely grateful for their dedication and professionalism.

At Left: Photo from the UCO Endeavor Games as Kory passes the finish line.  Below is a gallery of Kory from practices and the UCO Endeavor Games.
I have to add that the organization that has helped us is the Greater Oklahoma Disabled Sports Association (GODSA). They have enabled Kory to get back into doing the sports he loves and satisfy the need for speed he had before his skin made him stop running.