Tell Us Your Story

Anthony - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 

He always walked on his tip-toes, but Anthony Burke’s mother said she tried to get medical help when he started to complain his knees were hurting.

“I took him from doctor to doctor,” said Latrita McFadden, Anthony’s mother, “and they all said he would out grow it.”

His mother said he would look down at the ground and not talk to others because of a speech impediment.

“He used to walk around with his head low and just kind of avoid everybody,” Latrita said. Anthony became withdrawn and would not read aloud in class. "He was teased and his self esteem was low.”

When his mother enrolled him in SoonerCare, Anthony got some much needed help for his medical problems. Doctors found that Anthony’s Achilles’ tendons were shorter than normal. Anthony received surgery and medical treatment for his feet plus speech therapy.

Anthony is now finished with both speech and physical therapy, and his mother says his self-esteem has “skyrocketed.”

Latrita has trouble containing her amazement as she describes a boy who now has the self-esteem not only to speak, but serves as junior deacon in his church and ran for student body president. And in a sharp contrast to a few years ago, Anthony is now tutoring other students in his class.

Anthony didn’t win the school election, but he says he’s going to run next year and keep on running until he wins.

“It’s funny because he says, literally, I’m going to keep on running. He knows he can run, and his feet are working like they’re supposed to work now,” she said.

Now Anthony can run in more ways than one.

SoonerFacts

• On average, more than 50 percent of the estimated Oklahoma populations younger than age 18 have been enrolled in SoonerCare.
• SoonerCare provides quality health care for 1 in 4 Oklahomans.
• SoonerCare provides medical, dental and vision coverage for children who qualify for the program.
• More than 570,000 Oklahoma children are currently enrolled in SoonerCare.
• A family of four can have an annual income of more than $50,000 and may still qualify for SoonerCare.