John's fight Against Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Sending out a call to action for John Shay and his parents, Curi and November Poulin - lifetime New England residents.

John, age 20, has been at Maine Medical Center in Portland since he was first diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) two months ago. This is generally considered a "curable" pediatric cancer and at first, it appeared as if he would cruise through the 2+ year treatment. Unfortunately, as is life, things did not go to plan.

John's body did not tolerate the initial round of chemo very well and he has suffered several severe complications. Most of John's current two month stint in the hospital has been in the Intensive Care Unit and as of right now, there is no end in sight as to when John will be well enough to leave the ICU, let alone the hospital. When he is finally well enough to leave the hospital, which could be months away, he will need ongoing, long-term care due to some of these complications.

For those of you who do not know this family, John is a true embodiment of a good-natured individual. He is an old soul who is easy-going, honest, loyal, unpretentious and infinitely considerate. He cares about family, doing what is right, and putting others first. He is a bit of an introvert, content residing quietly in the background, and a true intellect, dedicated to pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Mathematics at the University of Maine Orono (UMO) where he consistently demonstrates his commitment to excel. Frankly, he is the kind of young man we need more of in today's world.

John's parents have been doing everything they can to be with John throughout his illness while trying to maintain their household . November has not left John's side since he entered the hospital and intends to remain there until he is well enough to return home. Unfortunately this is taking much longer than expected and will extend well beyond her FMLA allowance.

The hope and prayer of this fundraiser is to help this family through this tough time with some of their financial burden and enable them to focus their full efforts on getting John back to good health and to a future he deserves. The staggering medical costs, the emotional toll and the uncertainty that comes with a leukemia diagnosis are overwhelming. Your contributions will help cover his medical bills, treatments, ongoing care and any unforeseen expenses that may arise during his fight against cancer.

Let's show them that they are not alone in this battle, and that we are there to support them when they need it most. Please consider making a donation, sharing this fundraiser throughout your network and spreading the word about John's story. Your support in any form is deeply appreciated and will help ease his journey to recovery.

Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and generosity.