Lillian Wafford

You have all been so amazing, especially since I broke the silence and explained how poor Lillian’s health has become and to a person, you’ve asked if there’s anything you can do for Lillian, for me, or for her family.

The most important thing (to me) that anyone can do is visit her in the hospital or find some other way to let her know that she is important to you. If she is to leave us, nothing means more to me than her being surrounded by people who love and appreciate the heroic human she is.

However, should you wish to do more or prefer to help in another way, I have come up with a few expenses with which anyone so inclined can assist.

Optionally, if you’d like to contribute to a specific item on the list, mention it in the words of encouragement and I will ensure that your contribution goes towards that before anything else. 

1. Medical / Hospice Bills

2. Funeral Services

3. Food / Accommodations

4. College Fund

5. Bucket List

6. IVF

Medical Bills: Lillian has medical insurance but I am expecting some uncovered items since she’s transitioned from healthcare, to hospice, back to healthcare, and may be transitioning into in-patient hospice. There have also been expenses for making the house more accessible in general.

Funeral Services: Lillian would like to be cremated and used to nourish a tree.

Food/Accommodations: Covering food and such during our period of grieving.

College Funds: Lillian has a niece and nephew who she cares for greatly and she has often expressed a desire to start a fund to assist with college.

Bucket List: Seeing all 50 states was Lillian’s top bucket list item. We gave it a solid try but only got 49 scratched off since we could not reach Hawaii by car and were never willing travel by air due to the risk of Covid. I plan to save a portion of Lillian’s ashes and take them to Hawaii next year to finish her bucket list. Donations here won’t go towards MY trip but I plan to announce the date so that anyone who’d like to go can meet me there and be a part of what I am sure will be a very small, intimate celebration of Lillian. Any funds earmarked for this would likely go towards food/drinks/or other items directly related to the purpose of spreading her ashes such that her bucket list is completed.

IVF: As soon as Lillian was diagnosed, we started the process of IVF. We had embryos frozen and found a surrogate but due to the combined impacts of Covid and constant cancer treatment, we were never able to complete the process. However, we were recently approached by a couple who cannot conceive and asked if we would allow them to use our embryos. We were absolutely honored and agreed. Surrogacy runs about $150,000 or so and, while we got about $25,000 into the process, the parents-to-be will still incur most or all of the remaining cost. Any contribution marked for this will go directly to their expenses.

I know this is a lot and if you’ve made it through to this point, I thank you for letting me explain how and where your financial help can be applied.

With more love and appreciation than you can know,

Aaron