Kudos to Sharon Hudson and Nancy Kayes
By Shelli Giess
While many people know about the efforts of Mary Allen Staat, MD, MPH, and her staff to make the International Adoption Center (IAC) at Cincinnati Children's Hospiral Medical Center what it is, few people know about the efforts of two of the most tireless IAC volunteers — Sharon Hudson and Nancy Kayes. Sharon and Nancy chaired the Passport to Forever luncheon this year and it is because of their efforts that the luncheon was such a success.
The Passport to Forever luncheon and fashion show was Sharon's brainchild. While living in Texas, she and her husband adopted two daughters from China. The agency they used had a luncheon and fashion show as a fund raiser for many years. When Sharon and her husband moved to Cincinnati, she was impressed with the services of the IAC and suggested this event as a way to raise funds and promote community awareness of international adoption.
Nancy Kayes is the mother of 19 children -- three birth and 16 internationally adopted children, many of whom have special needs. When Nancy and her husband adopted their first child, they knew of no other families who had adopted internationally. There were no resources or clinics that specialized in international adoption. Many of their children had issues that their pediatrician did not understand or had not encountered.
Nancy values the help that is available to families through the IAC enough to volunteer her time to help increase physical and mental health services to families built by international adoption. Nancy also is the facilitator of the Parents Helping Parents monthly support group.
"International adoption is a wonderful way to build a family," says Nancy. "Sharon and I encourage all families to become involved and support the IAC and Passport to Forever."
