Cancer
Donation protected
My name is Ian Ricketts, I moved to America in 1992 with my wife Cindy and our newborn son. We arrived at LAX, CA with the clothes on our backs and two suitcases, one of which was full of baby necessities. We were young and excited and somewhat naïve. My wife Cindy was born and raised in Southern California, I was born and raised in England where we met and fell deeply in love. We came to the United States to introduce our son to his American grandparents, the experience was amazing. Cindy was so happy to be back in America and I had never seen her smile so brightly. I knew we had to stay and so I started the process of becoming a Permanent Resident. My status was secured on 11/25/92 and I joined the United States Army on 01/28/1993. I did not just want to be a resident I wanted to earn the right.
My dreams of a military carrier came to an end on 09/16/1998 after my right hand was crushed whilst working on an armored personnel carrier. I soon started collage and earned twin associate degrees reentering the American work force. I have had many jobs, State drug and alcohol counselor, Assistant director of a boy’s home, Middle management, and as a maintenance technician in health care. I was diagnosed with Harry Cell Leukemia many years ago, it was ok then because my wife and I were younger, and my children were young enough to trust us when we said that everything would be fine. I was comforted because it had happened to me and not one of my loved ones. Life went on, I had good health insurance and a good job with caring coworkers and understanding bosses. But even those times were hard. That has all changed...
I recently found out that my Harry Cell Leukemia has come back. My Oncologist was working with me to start treatment in the September of 2020.
After working for a local community hospital for over fourteen years and having their health insurance as well as an employee service charge cost reduction of 50%. My manager found me nodding off at my desk and terminated my employment for falling asleep on the job. He chose to ignore that I was suffering from the side effects of leukemia. No consideration was given to the fact that I would lose the ability to get treatment. I was astonished that my director took his side in all of this, and even more amazed that a Health Care Organization would even consider standing by and letting it happen.
It did not matter that my yearly review that had happened only weeks before was near perfect and the highest I have been given during my fourteen plus years of service. I had been a faithful and loyal employee for over fourteen years and then I was not.
No appeal process, no paperwork to tell me my rights, nothing. All I received was a photocopied form with my managers signature with a check box labeled terminated. I could not get unemployment or assistance of any kind. Finding a new job at 51 that paid an equivalent wage was imposable. I started my own business in Building Water Management but…
Business is nonexistent, COVID-19 has all but crushed the small business industry of this fine country. If not for the charity of my young daughters who live with us, we would have lost our home. October 2020 signified the thirtieth wedding anniversary of my wife and I; we were prepared to deal with the cancer treatment together and celebrate quietly at home. Instead we are filled with fear and uncertainty. We find ourselves stressed about what we can do to cover the costs of treatment and how we are going to keep our home and dreams alive. I have never begged anyone for help before and I feel ashamed to have to, but I have nowhere else to go. My savings are gone, my children are giving everything to just keep us afloat and I have no idea how much I will need to cover the costs of treatment or to get myself out of debt. Please help my family and I by helping me have a less stressful recovery experience. My Oncologist and I are hoping to start my treatment in mid January 2021. My blood count are extremely low and it is imperative that I start treatment as soon as possible. The help we receive will be used to help cover the cost of treatment, provide debt assistance and help cover living expenses to assist my family and I to get back on our feet. Please help me so that I can be around to help others later.
With sincere thanks, Ian M Ricketts.
My dreams of a military carrier came to an end on 09/16/1998 after my right hand was crushed whilst working on an armored personnel carrier. I soon started collage and earned twin associate degrees reentering the American work force. I have had many jobs, State drug and alcohol counselor, Assistant director of a boy’s home, Middle management, and as a maintenance technician in health care. I was diagnosed with Harry Cell Leukemia many years ago, it was ok then because my wife and I were younger, and my children were young enough to trust us when we said that everything would be fine. I was comforted because it had happened to me and not one of my loved ones. Life went on, I had good health insurance and a good job with caring coworkers and understanding bosses. But even those times were hard. That has all changed...
I recently found out that my Harry Cell Leukemia has come back. My Oncologist was working with me to start treatment in the September of 2020.
After working for a local community hospital for over fourteen years and having their health insurance as well as an employee service charge cost reduction of 50%. My manager found me nodding off at my desk and terminated my employment for falling asleep on the job. He chose to ignore that I was suffering from the side effects of leukemia. No consideration was given to the fact that I would lose the ability to get treatment. I was astonished that my director took his side in all of this, and even more amazed that a Health Care Organization would even consider standing by and letting it happen.
It did not matter that my yearly review that had happened only weeks before was near perfect and the highest I have been given during my fourteen plus years of service. I had been a faithful and loyal employee for over fourteen years and then I was not.
No appeal process, no paperwork to tell me my rights, nothing. All I received was a photocopied form with my managers signature with a check box labeled terminated. I could not get unemployment or assistance of any kind. Finding a new job at 51 that paid an equivalent wage was imposable. I started my own business in Building Water Management but…
Business is nonexistent, COVID-19 has all but crushed the small business industry of this fine country. If not for the charity of my young daughters who live with us, we would have lost our home. October 2020 signified the thirtieth wedding anniversary of my wife and I; we were prepared to deal with the cancer treatment together and celebrate quietly at home. Instead we are filled with fear and uncertainty. We find ourselves stressed about what we can do to cover the costs of treatment and how we are going to keep our home and dreams alive. I have never begged anyone for help before and I feel ashamed to have to, but I have nowhere else to go. My savings are gone, my children are giving everything to just keep us afloat and I have no idea how much I will need to cover the costs of treatment or to get myself out of debt. Please help my family and I by helping me have a less stressful recovery experience. My Oncologist and I are hoping to start my treatment in mid January 2021. My blood count are extremely low and it is imperative that I start treatment as soon as possible. The help we receive will be used to help cover the cost of treatment, provide debt assistance and help cover living expenses to assist my family and I to get back on our feet. Please help me so that I can be around to help others later.
With sincere thanks, Ian M Ricketts.
Co-organizers (3)
Ian Ricketts
Organizer
Dayton, NV
Tarian Ricketts
Co-organizer
Abigail Ricketts
Co-organizer