Sarah Whitlock: Ms. Wheelchair Texas
1st Runner-up and Congeniality Award
| Sarah Whitlock, a native of Alvin, is the reigning Ms.
Wheelchair Texas 2005. She holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology
from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and a Bachelor of Science in
Psychology from Texas A&M University. She attends events throughout the
state of Texas and the United States promoting disability awareness and
serving as a spokeswoman for people with disabilities. Along with her duties
as Ms. Wheelchair Texas, Sarah serves as a motivational speaker for the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice and various youth programs and camps
throughout the state. Ms. Whitlock spearheaded the development of a video
documentary outlining the steps necessary for success in college for
students with disabilities. This groundbreaking project is being utilized in
every Texas state public high school, and it is in the process of being
reproduced for national release. |
Sarah Whitlock
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| Currently, Sarah is forming a non-profit counseling
and research organization, the CEDAR Center, dedicated to assisting
individuals impacted by disability issues. Ms. Whitlock’s platform focuses
on women’s healthcare for women with disabilities. She encourages and
empowers women through Psalm 139:14 “ I will praise You, O Lord, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made. All Your works are wonderful, and my soul
knows it very well.” Sarah is passionate about the fact that ALL women must
treasure and care for their health in order to make a unique contribution to
the world. In July, Ms. Whitlock will be traveling to Albany, New York,
representing Texas in the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant. |
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Sarah Whitlock
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Psalm 139:14 “I will give thanks to You, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows
it very well.”
Women, we are beautiful! It has been such a blast
experiencing this pampering and royal treatment with you. This is a pageant
of true beauty.
It is an honor and privilege to stand alongside each of you.
Ladies, we deserve to be treated like queens everyday. Therefore, we have a
responsibility to care for our bodies in order to maintain optimal health.
Every woman should respect herself enough to schedule and attend a yearly
Well Woman exam. This appointment could be the difference between life and
death.
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According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, a
woman perishes from breast cancer every 12 minutes. Likewise, ovarian cancer
ranks 5th as a cause of women’s deaths attributed to cancer. Cervical cancer
is almost 100% curable if it is detected early. Let’s face it, we owe it to
ourselves and the world to be proactive agents by consistently monitoring
our health through regular check-ups and self-exams in order to prevent
sufferings associated with various diseases related to women’s health.
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| The process of maintaining optimal women’s health may
prove more challenging for women with disabilities. Physical limitations may
be a factor, or locating a physician who is familiar with special needs
surrounding issues may also be a concern. In addition, more pertinent health
issues may take precedence over potentially undetected health problems. As
Ms. Wheelchair TX 2005, I would make it my personal mission to promote and
provide women’s health education and resources for women with disabilities. |
Sarah Whitlock
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Personally, I have experienced the
consequences of failing to manage my health in this regard. I lost half of
my reproductive system to a large ovarian cyst. Circumstances could have
been much worse, but life is too precious to allow these health issues to
go undetected. Hear me, I do not want this to happen to anyone else. I
desire to teach and enable other women to love, cherish and protect
themselves by leaving no question unanswered regarding women’s health
issues.
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