Marty Toomey needs our help
Donation protected
NBYC Founder, Community Leader, and friend to so many, now needs our help as she battles Neurosarcoidosis, a life-altering progressive illness. She has immediate, short term, and continuous needs.
1. Home adaptations (ramps, rails, door widening, etc.)
2. Finances for medications, medical appointments and travel
3. Modified vehicle for specialized wheelchair.
THE BACKSTORY:
Imagine that you are an active person, walking, hiking, working and then within the span of a few months, you find yourself suddenly unable to even stand without help. How devastating would this be?! This is exactly what happened to my dear friend, Marty (a.k.a. Martha, Twink, Sis, Mom) Toomey. Most people in North Brookfield know Marty as the Executive Director of the North Brookfield Youth Center. This is a position she held for nearly 20 years. During that time, Marty brought nearly $2,000,000 to the town to create free after-school and summer programs for the children/youth of North Brookfield and the surrounding communities. It brought her great joy to develop and implement programs that helped to inspire the children/youth that she worked with to overcome their challenges and believe in themselves.
This all suddenly came to an abrupt halt when she had to resign her position at the Youth Center at the end of August due to the progression of this life-altering illness. Marty was diagnosed with sarcoidosis last summer when a biopsy was done on the enlarged lymph nodes in her chest that were pushing on her heart and lungs. Sarcoidosis is a disease that can affect any of the organs in your body, heart, lungs, skin, etc. Shortly after the diagnosis was made, Marty started experiencing numbness in her feet and legs; a progression that caused her doctors to do a full body EMG. The EMG confirmed their suspicions; the sarcoidosis was attacking her nerves. Marty was then diagnosed with a rare condition known as Neuro-Sarcoidosis, a condition that affects only 5% of the people who have Sarcoidosis. Within a few more months, the Neuro-Sarcoidosis was seriously affecting the nerves in Marty’s thighs,causing her to become wheelchair bound. Throughout this entire ordeal, Marty has had her amazing, devoted family by her side.
Marty and her beloved husband of thirty years, Brian, have two amazing sons, Josh and Kris. Kris is a recent law school graduate, whose life was totally disrupted because he recently had to move back home to help with his Mom’s care. This is a decision that he says was a “no brainer,” “My Mom is everything to me and I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” Unfortunately, Josh has been plagued with severe health issues of his own and has had seven back surgeries, beginning at the age of 19, causing a significantly negative impact on his life. His Mom, Marty and Dad have been his caregivers since his first surgery, adding to the distress that Marty is feeling because she can no longer help Josh like she used to. “My Mom is my rock. It’s so hard watching her go through this. She has always been so active, for this disease to rob her of her life like this is unbearable.” As much as Marty hates the devastating effect her health is having on her and her family, they realize that the reality is, the cost associated with all the needs suddenly caused by this illness are mounting and can’t be ignored.
Marty was forced to make a decision in August, try to continue to work and further jeopardize her health or resign in the hopes that her condition would not continue to progress at such a rapid speed. Marty and her family knew that despite the financial blow it meant, the unbearable pain caused by the illness with the increased shaking and numbness throughout her body, she could no longer continue doing the job that she truly loved. The expenses associated with this illness, not just medical, but changes structurally to their house to allow Marty to move around freely, the need for a vehicle capable of transporting Marty and her wheelchair, a ramp system to allow her to exit through both doors in her house, adaptive equipment that will increase her ability to do her activities of daily living...the list seems endless and overwhelming.
For all of these reasons, Marty and her family need to ask their family, friends and community for support; even the smallest donation to help them tackle this extreme financial hardship would mean the world to them. Also important, are positive thoughts and prayers. All donations will go directly to the costs associated with this illness.
Marty and her family refuse to let this illness defeat them. Despite all of the challenges they are facing, they instead are concentrating on the blessing they are also experiencing. They feel they are extremely blessed to have the overwhelming support from their incredible family, amazing friends, their community and their awe-inspiring prayer brigade! Despite everything, they are maintaining a positive outlook on life and devote themselves to realizing their blessings.
1. Home adaptations (ramps, rails, door widening, etc.)
2. Finances for medications, medical appointments and travel
3. Modified vehicle for specialized wheelchair.
THE BACKSTORY:
Imagine that you are an active person, walking, hiking, working and then within the span of a few months, you find yourself suddenly unable to even stand without help. How devastating would this be?! This is exactly what happened to my dear friend, Marty (a.k.a. Martha, Twink, Sis, Mom) Toomey. Most people in North Brookfield know Marty as the Executive Director of the North Brookfield Youth Center. This is a position she held for nearly 20 years. During that time, Marty brought nearly $2,000,000 to the town to create free after-school and summer programs for the children/youth of North Brookfield and the surrounding communities. It brought her great joy to develop and implement programs that helped to inspire the children/youth that she worked with to overcome their challenges and believe in themselves.
This all suddenly came to an abrupt halt when she had to resign her position at the Youth Center at the end of August due to the progression of this life-altering illness. Marty was diagnosed with sarcoidosis last summer when a biopsy was done on the enlarged lymph nodes in her chest that were pushing on her heart and lungs. Sarcoidosis is a disease that can affect any of the organs in your body, heart, lungs, skin, etc. Shortly after the diagnosis was made, Marty started experiencing numbness in her feet and legs; a progression that caused her doctors to do a full body EMG. The EMG confirmed their suspicions; the sarcoidosis was attacking her nerves. Marty was then diagnosed with a rare condition known as Neuro-Sarcoidosis, a condition that affects only 5% of the people who have Sarcoidosis. Within a few more months, the Neuro-Sarcoidosis was seriously affecting the nerves in Marty’s thighs,causing her to become wheelchair bound. Throughout this entire ordeal, Marty has had her amazing, devoted family by her side.
Marty and her beloved husband of thirty years, Brian, have two amazing sons, Josh and Kris. Kris is a recent law school graduate, whose life was totally disrupted because he recently had to move back home to help with his Mom’s care. This is a decision that he says was a “no brainer,” “My Mom is everything to me and I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” Unfortunately, Josh has been plagued with severe health issues of his own and has had seven back surgeries, beginning at the age of 19, causing a significantly negative impact on his life. His Mom, Marty and Dad have been his caregivers since his first surgery, adding to the distress that Marty is feeling because she can no longer help Josh like she used to. “My Mom is my rock. It’s so hard watching her go through this. She has always been so active, for this disease to rob her of her life like this is unbearable.” As much as Marty hates the devastating effect her health is having on her and her family, they realize that the reality is, the cost associated with all the needs suddenly caused by this illness are mounting and can’t be ignored.
Marty was forced to make a decision in August, try to continue to work and further jeopardize her health or resign in the hopes that her condition would not continue to progress at such a rapid speed. Marty and her family knew that despite the financial blow it meant, the unbearable pain caused by the illness with the increased shaking and numbness throughout her body, she could no longer continue doing the job that she truly loved. The expenses associated with this illness, not just medical, but changes structurally to their house to allow Marty to move around freely, the need for a vehicle capable of transporting Marty and her wheelchair, a ramp system to allow her to exit through both doors in her house, adaptive equipment that will increase her ability to do her activities of daily living...the list seems endless and overwhelming.
For all of these reasons, Marty and her family need to ask their family, friends and community for support; even the smallest donation to help them tackle this extreme financial hardship would mean the world to them. Also important, are positive thoughts and prayers. All donations will go directly to the costs associated with this illness.
Marty and her family refuse to let this illness defeat them. Despite all of the challenges they are facing, they instead are concentrating on the blessing they are also experiencing. They feel they are extremely blessed to have the overwhelming support from their incredible family, amazing friends, their community and their awe-inspiring prayer brigade! Despite everything, they are maintaining a positive outlook on life and devote themselves to realizing their blessings.
Organizer
Suzanne Yerdon Lewandowski
Organizer
North Brookfield, MA