Prayers & Support for Mary Ann Khoury

Just as Mary Ann Khoury came back as a mentor to help strengthen and build capacity at the DUI Victims Center of Kansas, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Her surgery is set for March 16th, 2023. When Mary Ann found out about the diagnosis and the treatment and recovery plan that would follow she wrote the following message, asking for prayers and financial support for the DUI Victims Center:

“I am encouraged that the DUI staff team is going to be just what we now need to rebuild this agency to what it used to be. An aggressive fundraising plan has been developed for 2023 and we have been moving forward on this. Now we have a new issue – I am mentoring Heather and providing support to the staff – but another health problem has been diagnosed – Colon Cancer. On Thursday, March 16, I am scheduled for colon surgery and will not be released for 6 weeks – full recovery – if all goes well. Please step forward and make a financial gift to the DUI Victims Center of Kansas to support the efforts that Heather and Cheyenne will be making during my absence. There is a lot planned – and a lot is needed. Thank you so much for your time considering this request and remember no gift is too small or too large. Please pray for me and remember not to drink any amount of alcohol or use any drugs and drive. It is just not worth it – whatever the outcome. Thank you so much for all you have done and will do for this agency.”

Below you will find a full account of what led Mary Ann to establish the organization in 1987, and the growth and challenges it has faced since. It is absolutely true to say that Mary Ann’s commitment to serving victims and survivors of DUI crashes is the reason we continue to operate today. We hope and pray to honor her steadfastness and living legacy today and far into the future.

On Nov 6, 1971 a drunk driver ran through a red light at a high rate of speed in the wrong lane of traffic. His car hit us head on as we sat waiting for the light to turn green. The crash took off the passenger side where I was sitting. My right foot was nearly amputated on impact-this among several other injuries. My daughter was only 3 months old at this time. She was not with us in the car since it was our first night leaving her since she was born. I missed her first Thanksgiving and got home one week before her first Christmas. I was back in the hospital the first week of January for more surgery. This changed my life forever. I received wonderful medical care from Dr. Duane Murphy over the next 20 years. In 1991, the plastic ankle replacement that had been done for me in 1976 wore out and I needed more surgery – having had already over 17 surgeries. Dr. Murphy referred me to a new Orthopedic doctor in Wichita – Dr. Steven Howell – for consultation. We were looking at a fusion of the right ankle but it would be very difficult since I had no ankle to fuse. Thank God, this fabulous doctor had a plan and in a 9-hour surgery, he removed the plastic ankle and fused my right ankle with no shortening of my leg. Over the years I have had 22 surgeries on this ankle – but am walking very well at this time – thank God.

In 1986 a drunk driver drove through the red light in downtown Wichita during River Festival week and hit a car in the intersection. The person driving the car that was hit was a woman whose family had been a friend of my family since high school. She was on her way home from work and 4 months pregnant with her third child. Two months later she and her unborn baby died from injuries received from the drunk driver. At her funeral, I realized that there needed to be more help in our community to assist drunk driving victims and survivors. I watched her church community come together to help her husband with the children and the church became the support for the agency foundation. This was the start of the DUI Victims Center of Kansas. Beginning in my family room with a Tandy computer and a 24 hour telephone line paid for by this woman’s family, the agency began. Our first affiliation was with Interfaith Ministries. They provided a PO Box for donations and other mailings. In 1989, the agency came under the YWCA as an affiliated program-YWCA DUI Victim Center. 1991 we introduced the DUI Information Panels for victims to tell their stories to court ordered offenders. 1992 brought disaffiliation with the YWCA and the DUI Victims Center of Kansas was established as a Kansas nonprofit agency. Over the years the agency has served victims throughout Kansas and provided Panel programs statewide. I retired in 2012-having a full service Board of Directors, Honorary Board, Advisory Board and more than 50 volunteers across the state. We were receiving 2 state grants – in good standing – Owed no debts, had 7 employees, and served more than 500 victims a year. Annual events included the Annual Candlelight Vigil for Victims, Red Ribbon Holiday Drive for Victims, and Fourth Grade Poster/Billboard Contest. There were also several special fundraising projects each year. In 2012, I retired after 25 years of building and serving the DUI Victims Center. The Center faced several challenges after my retirement that they are still recovering from, including the loss of grant funding, leadership transitions, COVID and a reduction in capacity.

In September of 2022, the Board asked the person who had been the lead Victim Advocate to become the new Executive Director. She contacted me soon after and asked me to help her know more about the agency and help her with contacts in the community. I had met her earlier and was very impressed. Especially since she is bilingual in Spanish and English - Very helpful with the Spanish speaking victims and Panel programs. I have been mentoring her since September and am very encouraged at what I am learning about her. Her name is Heather Plaza and she has an additional full-time employee – Cheyenne Waller, Director of Communications, who is also fabulous, as well as two incredible dedicated part-time employees, Hope Ramirez (Panel Administrator) and Whitney Kallenbach (Data Guru). I am encouraged that the DUI staff team is going to be just what we now need to rebuild this agency to what it used to be. An aggressive fundraising plan has been developed for 2023 and we have been moving forward on this. Now we have a new issue – I am mentoring Heather and providing support to the staff – but another health problem has been diagnosed – Colon Cancer. On Thursday, March 16, I am scheduled for colon surgery and will not be released for 6 weeks – full recovery – if all goes well. Please step forward and make a financial gift to the DUI Victims Center of Kansas to support the efforts that Heather and Cheyenne will be making during my absence. There is a lot planned – and a lot is needed. Thank you so much for your time considering this request and remember no gift is too small or too large. Please pray for me and remember not to drink any amount of alcohol or use any drugs and drive. It is just not worth it – whatever the outcome. Thank you so much for all you have done and will do for this agency.

Love and Prayers – Always, In Christ, Mary Ann Khoury