{"id":4155,"date":"2024-08-23T09:45:41","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T14:45:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?p=4155"},"modified":"2025-05-01T13:52:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T18:52:26","slug":"2024-blue-kc-answering-the-call-honoree-laura-wiruth-month-of-august","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/community-and-culture\/sports-partnerships-community-and-culture\/2024-blue-kc-answering-the-call-honoree-laura-wiruth-month-of-august\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 Blue KC Answering the Call Honoree Laura Wiruth \u2013 month of August"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Called to Duty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even as a little girl, Laura Wiruth wanted to be in the military. Her father was in the Navy and she wanted to follow in his footsteps. You could say she felt the \u201ccall to duty\u201d at an early age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when she was 15, she was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and had to undergo open-heart surgery. That eliminated her from a chance with any of the armed forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that didn\u2019t diminish her desire to serve. After graduating from high school, she got a job at the local prison in Hutchinson, Kansas, and worked there for seven years. While she was there, she went to school and got her fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) certifications so she could become a paramedic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She served in that role for 15 years before taking her current role as the EMS liaison at Overland Park Regional Medical Center. That seems like a wide range of jobs, but they all fit one narrow genre: helping others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMr. Rogers was my hero growing up,\u201d she said of the television host Fred Rogers. \u201cI don\u2019t remember what the quote was exactly, but it was something like, \u2018When something really bad happens or tragedy strikes, look for the helpers.\u2019 I thought, \u2018I don\u2019t want to just look for the helpers. I want to be the one that people look to when they need help.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That desire was heightened by a teaching nun at the Catholic school she attended. Every time she heard a siren, whether it was police, fire or ambulance, she would stop what she and the students were doing in the class and have the kids \u201cbow our heads and pray for the people that needed the sirens and the people that were behind the sirens,\u201d Wiruth said. \u201cI remember thinking, even back then, \u2018This prayer is fine, but I want to do more. I want to really help people.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Laura Wiruth (right) pictured with husband (left) and Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney (center)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Though she is no longer in the field, she is still helping people at the Regional Medical Center.  In her current role, she helps keep the relationships and communications going between EMS workers and hospital staff. The goal is the best possible outcome for patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not an antagonistic relationship. She doesn\u2019t have to bring two opposing sides together. But paramedics and administrators have busy schedules. It helps having someone who\u2019s been in both roles to help bring cohesiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all have the same goal, we just have different ideas of how to get to that goal,\u201d she said. \u201cThere can be a lack of understanding between administration and field work. I get to bring those two together and help them understand how to be a little bit better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, she instituted an annual \u201cday of resilience\u201d open to all first responders and medical staff. They provided staff with resources they didn\u2019t realize were available. They talked about how work stresses affect people, and, more importantly, what to do about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why Wiruth is the August recipient of the \u201cBlue KC Answering the Call\u201d award, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City benefiting The Battle Within. The Battle Within (TBW) is an organization that helps former military personnel and first responders cope with the sometimes-hidden trauma of their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wiruth is an alum of TBW. She started the relationship as a volunteer, but soon realized that she needed to experience it herself. So she went through a revenant journey, which, \u201copened my eyes to a lot of different things that I thought I knew.\u201d Now, she recommends TBW as one of the options for the first responders who she helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Battle Within means hope for a better day, a better mindset,\u201d she said. \u201cNow that I\u2019ve experienced it, I\u2019m able to put those things into my daily life and put them to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt means hope more than anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information on the Blue KC Answering the Call program, please click here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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Blue KC supports the Kansas City community through impactful sports partnership programs<\/h3>

Blue KC Answering the Call<\/p> <\/div>\n

\n \n For more information on the program<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t
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