Alex Melugin ‘12 lost his grandmother to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2017. That experience sparked a passion within to do something more for the ALS community.
As vice president of operations at Phoenix Home Care & Hospice in Wichita, Kansas, he was a good candidate to join the cause for ALS awareness and care.
Melugin earned his Bachelor of Business Administration and Management at Friends University in Wichita and then turned to Newman University for his Master of Business Administration (MBA), which he earned in 2012. He had become familiar with the Newman MBA program after his cousin told him about the great experience he had in the program.
Melugin joined the team at Phoenix when his aunt and uncle founded the business in 2012. He has enjoyed playing a role in caring for home-bound patients ever since.
Phoenix is a privately owned home care and hospice organization that is focused on improving the quality of life for the people they serve. They offer complete continuity of care for their clients, providing home care and hospice care as needed. They have 15 locations in three different states: Kansas, Missouri and Colorado.
Melugin said the name comes “from the mythical bird that is reborn with renewed youth to live. This has led to our vision to offer new beginnings and meaningful opportunities to caregivers and clinicians while providing home care services to our clients built on innovation, skill and Christ-like values of compassion, honesty and patience.”
He became even more involved as the ALS Association Mid-America Chapter had been referring patients to Phoenix’s services. He was asked if Phoenix would like to help in a clinic caring for ALS patients, an offer they couldn’t resist. Phoenix now partners with the clinic, which is managed by a physician out of Kansas City, Missouri, by offering nursing and physical therapy with modifications to improve patient quality of life.
He also worked closely with the ALS chapter to rollout a telemedicine program, allowing Wichita residents a complete ALS clinic experience via a telemedicine unit with the University of Kansas Medical Center neurologists.
Recently, Melugin became the recruitment chair for the mid-America chapter and sponsored a fundraiser to support the chapter.
“I have a real passion to help people suffering from ALS,” said Melugin. “These patients are very unique and each patient’s progression of the disease is different. We have been able to help with lifestyle adaptions and modifications to make the time they have left more meaningful and comfortable.”
He said his faith in the Lord plays a large role in every decision he makes, both personally and professionally.
“On a personal level, I attribute success to a positive attitude and an unwavering work ethic. I believe the company’s success is based on the same ideals in addition to the Christ-like culture our owners, Phil and Kim Melugin, have established.
“The ability to care for people in the most vulnerable of settings and allow seniors to experience freedom in their own homes instead of a care facility is what brings me to work each morning.”
