To Kansas City television viewers, she's Kelly Eckerman, KMBC-TV 5 o'clock and 6 o'Clock News Anchor and Healthwatch Reporter. For Kelly, the title she's most proud of is Mom.

"I feel very lucky to have a challenging career. But when it comes to feeling important, seeing my daughters' faces light up when they see me makes me feel like the most important person in the world. Aubrey (12/95) and Sadie (11/99) make every moment of my life more valuable. They've also given me a new perspective on things when covering various news stories."

Born in Russell, Kan., Kelly knew she was headed for a career in journalism. She thought it would be as a print journalist, though, because she enjoyed being editor of her high school newspaper. But, she fell into a TV career instead and worked at various stations in Iowa and Illinois before coming to Kansas City in 1990.

Kelly is a two-time Emmy winner. One was for hosting a Kansas City Chiefs Special, and the other was for a special HealthWatch report called "Walking Away From Cancer." She's also won various state and regional reporting awards. Kelly works with numerous charities throughout the year.

About her work as Healthwatch Reporter, "I feel like our work does have an impact on people's lives everyday. I don't always meet people during the best times of their lives. They are often in crisis. But, I am often reporting on medical advances and breakthroughs that offer hope and that's a very positive part of my work."

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