It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Martensdale, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Martensdale, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Martensdale, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Martensdale, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
MARTENSDALE, Ia. — Brady Gavin towers over opponents to grab rebounds and hit shots at a state-leading pace.Go back two years, though, and it looked liked he'd never get off the bench.The Martensdale-St. Marys senior, who stands 6-foot-8 now, played one game in his first two years because of injuries. He had three knee injuries; when he reached the court as a sophomore, he broke his foot.Forget the eye-catching statistics. The only thing Gavin seemed to lead the team in was time spent on crutches."I was...
MARTENSDALE, Ia. — Brady Gavin towers over opponents to grab rebounds and hit shots at a state-leading pace.
Go back two years, though, and it looked liked he'd never get off the bench.
The Martensdale-St. Marys senior, who stands 6-foot-8 now, played one game in his first two years because of injuries. He had three knee injuries; when he reached the court as a sophomore, he broke his foot.
Forget the eye-catching statistics. The only thing Gavin seemed to lead the team in was time spent on crutches.
"I was out for so long," Gavin said. "It made me push myself to a skill level beyond where I was."
Thankfully for him, and his 11-4 team, he's finally tapping his potential. He's leading the state in rebounding (16.4 a game) and shooting percentage for players with 50 or more attempts (80.7 percent) and is atop Class 1A with an average of 26.5 points.
Gavin seemed destined to play basketball, even when his body wasn't cooperating.
His parents, Brent and Jill (Uken) Gavin, both played college ball. Dad was at Simpson, his mom at Drake.
It's a tall family gene pool, too. Brent is 6-3, Jill 6-5, and sophomore brother Isaac is 6-6 and growing.
His parents put him on the path to be an athlete.
"They taught me to be a good sport, to always be coachable, to be respectful, work hard and give it 100 (percent) effort," Gavin said.
They also helped foster a home that encouraged the boys to play. Sometimes, they had to step in when the brothers battled.
"We definitely like to compete against each other in sports," Gavin said.
The bent and wobbly hoop (from dunking) in the family's driveway is testament to games played at an acreage near St. Marys.
Brent coached Brady in youth football, basketball and baseball. He and Jill also encouraged Brady that responsibility came with playing sports.
Brady looked up to older athletes, like those who played baseball on the high school's teams that won three straight state titles (2010-12) and 88 consecutive games.
"It just makes me feel good, because I'm being a role model," Gavin said. "It definitely makes me think about what I'm doing. "t makes me double-think everything, so I don't get myself in trouble."
Basketball is the present. Baseball is the future.
Here, too, Gavin's been winning the numbers game. He led the state last summer with 75 hits and was second in RBI with 67. He led Martensdale-St. Marys to a state runner-up finish in 1A.
His hitting is impressive. But he's also a feared pitcher.
Hurling a 90-mph fastball, like he did in fall baseball, will intimidate batters.
It's his favorite pitch to throw.
"I know it's the toughest one to hit," Gavin said.
Gavin will play baseball in college. He's signed with the University of Central Missouri.
His parents have a deep connection to basketball, but there's also baseball in the family.
His cousin, Grant Gavin, is a pitcher in the Kansas City Royals' minor league system. Grant also played at Central Missouri.
Brady plays pitcher and first base.
He's in a tradition-rich high school baseball community. Martensdale-St. Marys has won four state championships.
His team went to state in 2014 and 2015, as well as last year.
Even as he dominates in basketball this season, he has no question about where his athletic passion resides.
"I'd much rather play baseball," Gavin said.
Brady Gavin dislocated his knee twice, had a torn meniscus and fractured a foot during his first two seasons of high school basketball.
With every injury, he contemplated that his career could end.
"I always wondered if it was going to be worse," Gavin said.
He didn't leave the game. He found a path to the weight room.
Gavin added strength to his slender frame. He'd show up at 6 a.m. in the summer, just to work out.
By his junior year, he outmuscled basketball foes. Gavin averaged 22 points and 13 rebounds a game.
Basketball coach Joe Franey said Gavin's work ethic carried him to the top.
"He goes full-speed in practice, harder than anybody," Franey said.
The big numbers grew even bigger this season.
He currently averages 16.4 rebounds a game, nearly two more than his nearest competition, Iowa recruit Joe Wieskamp of Muscatine (14.5). His scoring average of 26.5 points is fifth overall in the state.
"The numbers are there," Franey said. "He knows, when to cut, where to cut, when to help."
It's interesting to contemplate just how good he'd be if he hadn't missed two seasons.
Potential.
"I don't think he's even reached it," Franey said.
Gavin is tall, strong and a quick leaper. He knows to work his way between an opponent and the basket to grab rebounds.
The numbers impress. But being No. 1 in baseball's still the future for him.
"I do want to go pro," Gavin said. "Hopefully, someday, I'll do it."
Steve Westphal thought his son, Ethan, was in Green Bay, Wis., preparing for his next summer league game on Tuesday.When Steve returned to the family's home in Winterset, his son arrived soon after. Ethan had a Colorado Rockies hat, and some big news.The Iowa native and former Lenox and Martensdale-St. Marys star surprised his dad with news that he would be forgoing his senior season of college and signing with the Rockies as an undrafted free agent.“Tears of joy were coming from both of us at the time,” Stev...
Steve Westphal thought his son, Ethan, was in Green Bay, Wis., preparing for his next summer league game on Tuesday.
When Steve returned to the family's home in Winterset, his son arrived soon after. Ethan had a Colorado Rockies hat, and some big news.
The Iowa native and former Lenox and Martensdale-St. Marys star surprised his dad with news that he would be forgoing his senior season of college and signing with the Rockies as an undrafted free agent.
“Tears of joy were coming from both of us at the time,” Steve Westphal said. “It was a special moment. No question.”
Ethan Westphal, a right-handed pitcher, was a star at Central Missouri baseball team, where he went 11-2 with a 2.60 earned run average with 103 strikeouts in 100.1 innings in 2016. While the numbers were stellar and professional teams took a look at Westphal, no one decided to draft the Iowan during the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in early June.
So Westphal went to play for the Green Bay Bullfrogs of the Northwoods League, a summer outfit full of collegiate baseball players. Westphal hoped a pro team would notice and maybe sign him. If none did, he’d return to college for his senior season.
Out of the blue, he got a call last Sunday from Brett Baldwin, an area scout for the Rockies. Baldwin told Westphal that the Rockies might be interested in signing him. The next day, Baldwin called back with some good news.
“He called and just kind of said, ‘Hey, we’re ready to do it now if you are,’” Ethan Westphal said. “And I’m like, 'I’m ready. I’m good.’”
Westphal, who was still in Green Bay at the time, tried to keep the news from getting back to his family in Iowa. So the next morning, he left around 6:30 and drove back to Iowa. On the way, he stopped at Jordan Creek Town Center to buy a Rockies hat for his dad.
Before he got home, he phoned his dad to see when he’d be home. Westphal told his dad he thought he forgot something in his room and wanted him to check if it was there. Making sure he didn’t beat his dad home, Westphal asked him when he’d be back to look in his room. Westphal even waited at a local softball field on his way home and watched his dad drive by.
When Ethan later pulled up, his dad was outside and surprised.
“He’s like, 'What the hell are you doing?' and then I held up the Rockies cap and said, 'I’m going to get signed,'” Ethan Westphal said. “He’s like, 'No way, no way, no way, it finally happened.' I gave him the hat, he put it on and we hugged.”
“It was an unbelievable moment,” Steve Westphal said. “Something that you have hoped for and wished for all your life. Just the way it happened, it was a special moment.”
The plan was for Westphal to fly out of Des Moines on Thursday and get a physical Friday morning. If all goes according to plan, he expected to sign a contract and eventually report to the Grand Junction Rockies, in rookie ball. Westphal said terms of his deal had not yet been finalized.
The potential had always been there for Westphal, who went 48-1 during high school between Lenox and Martensdale-St. Marys. He also helped the Blue Devils to a national record of consecutive wins — a mark that would eventually fall. Westphal went on to Southwestern Community College before moving on to Central Missouri. Steve Westphal said the plan was for his son to transfer to another college for his senior season.
Westphal has gotten hitters out with a variety of different arm angles and several pitches. He typically throws in the high 80s but said he’s topped out at 91 miles per hour.
The biggest knock against Westphal is his size. He’s listed at just 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds on Central Missouri’s website.
“People always said, 'You’re talented, but your size is against you,'” Steve said of the scouting report on his son.
The size apparently wasn’t too big of an issue for the Rockies. Ethan Westphal said the Rockies had been in contact with his pitching coach at Central Missouri, but he still wasn’t expecting to get drafted.
He thought someone could call once the draft ended. But, as the days went by, Westphal thought he would be back at college.
“I thought something could come about but I wasn’t banking on it,” Westphal said.
Westphal said he didn’t see Sunday’s call or Monday’s follow-up coming.
“I was definitely surprised,” he said. “It was definitely a good surprise.”
And it was one surprise he needed to tell his dad in person.
“It wasn’t a conversation that I could do over the phone, I didn’t think,” he said. “We had been waiting too long for something like this. ... Pretty off-the-charts excited, because this has been what I’ve been working toward my entire life.”
MARTENSDALE, Ia. — Martensdale-St. Marys’ softball team has played like a dynasty over the last decade.This time, the Blue Devils were denied another chance at a state title trophy.Sigourney scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning Monday to beat Martensdale-St. Marys 3-2 in a Class 1A regional final in Martensdale.The outcome left MSM short of the state tournament for the second time since 2008.“Year after year, we expect to make it to state,” coach Brian Sweet said....
MARTENSDALE, Ia. — Martensdale-St. Marys’ softball team has played like a dynasty over the last decade.
This time, the Blue Devils were denied another chance at a state title trophy.
Sigourney scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning Monday to beat Martensdale-St. Marys 3-2 in a Class 1A regional final in Martensdale.
The outcome left MSM short of the state tournament for the second time since 2008.
“Year after year, we expect to make it to state,” coach Brian Sweet said.
No. 3 MSM (32-4) rallied after falling behind 2-0 to tie the score in the sixth inning.
Sigourney’s Autum Barthelman raced home on a two-out infield hit. The victory advanced the team to state for the first time since 2001.
After Sigourney (22-11) fell one win short of state the last two seasons, they had a breakthrough this time.
“We’ve made it to the regional finals the last three years,” coach Shelly Streigle said. “To finally come through really shows our heart and determination.”
Barthelman reached first on a two-out fielder’s choice. Brooke Waechter singled to advance her to third. Then Summer Barthelman, Autum’s sister, singled to short while the speedy state track champion ran home.
Sigourney scored runs in the third and fourth inning.
In the third, Jordan VanEe singled with two out and scored on Autum Barthelman’s double.
Madison Schauf led off the fourth inning with a double. She later scored on Leah Carter’s single.
Martensdale-St. Mary's rallied to tie the score.
Kaci Sherwood drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning to score courtesy runner Kylie Keeler.
In the sixth, Kaitlyn Schad was hit in the back with the bases full to tie the game at 2-2.
Martensdale-St. Mary's went to state seven consecutive times starting in 2008. The team did not qualify in 2015 but reached Fort Dodge again last year. The Blue Devils won the 1A state title in 2012.
“The kids love to play the game,” Sweet said. “Quite a few of them get started at an early age. It’s a mutual respect thing between the players and the coaches.”
AT MARTENSDALE
MSM – 000 011 0 – 2 5 0
Sigourney – 001 100 1 – 3 10 3
Leading hitters—M: Myer 1-2, run; White run; S: A.Barthelman 1-3, run; Schauf 3-3, run; VanEe 2-3, run. W—Streigle. L—Ky.Sherwood.
GREENFIELD, Ia. — It’s a little over six minutes before game time as the Martensdale-St. Marys boys’ basketball team gathers in the visiting locker room at Nodaway Valley High School. Before sending his team to the floor on this Dec. 18 road game, Blue Devils coach Joe Franey grabs his cell phone and holds it up for all of them to see.His players surround him.Franey has Brooks Trom, a senior on the team, on his phone via FaceTime. Trom is sitting at the kitchen table at his family’s home in Cumming and d...
GREENFIELD, Ia. — It’s a little over six minutes before game time as the Martensdale-St. Marys boys’ basketball team gathers in the visiting locker room at Nodaway Valley High School. Before sending his team to the floor on this Dec. 18 road game, Blue Devils coach Joe Franey grabs his cell phone and holds it up for all of them to see.
His players surround him.
Franey has Brooks Trom, a senior on the team, on his phone via FaceTime. Trom is sitting at the kitchen table at his family’s home in Cumming and delivers his usual pre-game speech to the team. Trom starts it by talking about an article he recently read about the Blue Devils’ opponent that night being a favorite to win the conference.
“I think of you guys and how much potential you guys have out there,” Trom says to his teammates over the phone. “Show them what you can do.”
“Yes, sir,” a teammate responds.
Trom then leads the breakdown before the team goes sprinting out of the locker room and onto Nodaway Valley's court. The routine has become a part of every Martensdale-St. Marys boys’ basketball game this season, home and away. Trom, who has been designated as the team’s hype man in previous years, can’t be with the team this season. He’s battling leukemia, and with a weakened immune system, can't be around his teammates, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It gets all of us ready to play just hearing him talk to us,” Martensdale-St. Marys senior basketball player Trey Baker said. “And knowing that he can’t be here with us really fires us up. He’s been a part of this forever. And the fact that he can’t be here is really hard for all of us.”
Trom, an 18-year football, baseball and basketball player for the Blue Devils, is missing his final hoops season with Martensdale-St. Marys. But even from afar, while he’s in the battle for his life, Trom is a critical part of his team, school and community.
He’s not just helping them.
They’re helping him, too.
The diagnoses came as a shock to everyone, especially Trom. He had rarely been sick before and figured he had a strong immune system. But at the end of the football season in October, he knew something was wrong. Trom, a star for the Blue Devils, was having a tough time finishing games.
“I was dragging at the end of football season,” Trom said. “It was very tough. It seemed like each game, I’d get banged up and it was still there the next week. The pain just wasn’t going away. I just felt like I could barely walk at the end of it. I had to come out every other play during the last game of the season it seemed like.”
Things got progressively worse for Trom who, by mid-November, couldn’t eat or swallow because his lymph nodes had swollen up and were pushing in on his throat. He couldn’t even swallow his own spit. So, his parents, Mark and Lisa Trom, took Brooks to the hospital. While running a mono test, doctors discovered that three of the benchmarks —platelets, hemoglobin, and red and white blood cells — they looked for in his blood were low. They then tested him for leukemia.
Tests revelated Brooks had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer that happens when bone marrow cells develop errors in their DNA. Brooks, they believed, had been playing the entire football season with it.
“He was basically a walking dead person,” Mark said.
The news was crushing for the family, as they sat in a hospital room after receiving the diagnosis. They cried together. Lisa asked doctors how this happened. They told her that when kids are growing up, DNA switches tend to turn on and off. One of her son's turned off.
One of Brooks' first questions: What’s the survival rate?
Doctors gave him good news. Since Brooks was young and healthy, they gave him an 80% chance of beating it. But there was also bad news. Brooks couldn’t play basketball while he went through treatments. Afterward, Brooks called nine of his friends who were teammates. He told them to scary news.
"It was really hard to hear," Baker said. "It was one of the worst phone calls I've been a part of. I was speechless."
Brooks made the nine friends promise not to tell anyone at school right away. He wanted to wait for the news to come out. They followed through. But once word got out, Brooks found out he was not in the battle by himself.
And his days as a member of the Blue Devils basketball team were far from over.
It all started as a surprise.
Before Martensdale-St. Marys' season opener on Dec. 1, Franey decided to call Trom via FaceTime and have him talk to the team. None of the players knew, not even Franey's two sons who play on the team. But when Franey held up his phone and let Trom talk to them before the opening tip, the entire team smiled.
"It was a great moment for us," Franey said.
Franey decided to keep it going. So before every game, Franey calls Trom right before the team takes the court and lets him talk to the team. It's usually a few seconds of quick and inspiring words in the locker room.
It helps his friends, hearing from him.
And it helps Trom, who wants to always send a simple message to them:
"Just that they know I'm watching them, because I know when I talk to them that it kind of motivates them, because I know they miss me and I know they play a little extra hard when I talk to them," Trom said.
Trom watches as many games as he can. Usually he watches them the next day when the games are uploaded to Hudl. He'll take notes and pass them along to Franey, who will use his suggestions in practice. Trom spent part of the season watching from his hospital bed while dealing with an infection. But Trom, who was recently discharged between treatments, can now watch from home.
Regardless of where is he, Trom was right: His message is inspiring his teammates.
"Everybody is out here trying to do it for him because he can't," said Franey's son, Jack. "So, we figure, if he can't be here, we have to make up for it, and we have to play with all the heart he plays with."
That's not the only way they honor him. The team has also kept Trom's No. 20 out of circulation for the season. Players and coaches on the team shaved their heads while he went through chemo. They wear shirts during warmups with his number and nickname "The Flash" on it. During introductions, each player points to the back of the shirt as a sign to Trom if he's watching.
The rest of the school and the community have joined in the support.
The boys' basketball team and the wrestling team have raised money to help with his care. So has a local CrossFit. But perhaps the most touching moment of generosity came before Trom's second session chemotherapy treatments in November.
Some 100 coaches, athletes, cheerleaders and members of the community came to the entrance of Methodist Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines as a surprise to Trom to cheer him on. Many held handmade signs. When he walked downstairs to the door, he had no idea what was awaiting him.
"It's just overwhelming," Lisa said.
Brooks cried when he saw the large crowd.
One-by-one, members of the basketball team walked up to the door and placed their hand on it while Brooks was on the other side doing the same thing.
"There were a lot of people who started tearing up with him," Jack Franey said. "I know I did right when he started walking out."
The battle isn't over from Trom, who is still going through treatments. But he's hopeful. He's hopeful that he can not only beat it, but be back to walk at graduation and play baseball for the Blue Devils this summer.
"He's as tough as they come," Franey said. "He puts his head down and he works hard all the time, which is one reason why we know he's going to beat this."
Trom recently returned home but was back at the hospital earlier this week for treatments and hopefully an update on what's next. He has plenty of reminders of all the support he's getting from the community. After the crowd left the hospital, they took the signs and stuck them on the road leading up to his family's house. Trom's parents put them downstairs in the home for him to see. They've also started a hashtag to support him on social media called #TromStrong.
"That community is so giving," Lisa said. "I can't tell you how fortunate we are."
It was something Lisa and Mark never envisioned when they moved the family from West Des Moines to Cumming. But, they've found a home and support system with the Martensdale-St. Marys community. Even Brooks said he's at a loss of words for what they've done for him.
"I'm so thankful and blessed to have that," Brooks said.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at [email protected] or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.
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