Mr. Fix-it Needs Fixing

Wendell Bain has always been there for his family and his neighbors. Now it’s our turn to be there for him.

There is hardly a family in our Julington Creek neighborhood who has not benefited from Wendell’s generosity with his time and expertise. No matter how busy with work and family obligations, he always had time to help us, from coping with burst water pipes, to helping repair hurricane damage to consulting – and doing the work – on many home improvement projects. But most of all, in an emergency, he was the one we counted on to be there for us.

Now he has an emergency, and we are counting on his friends, neighbors and good Samaritans to help.

Wendell is a 56-year-old Navy veteran who was recently told that he needs a double lung transplant. During his Navy service, he was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease and had to be treated with chemotherapy to survive. One of the chemotherapy drugs (Bleomycin) remains in the lungs forever and can react to airborne chemicals.

In December 2015, the heater coil in his truck went out, releasing  coolant, which, reacting with the Bleomycin, caused permanent damage to the lungs.

Now, he’s going through lung transplant evaluation at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. His health insurance from the military is paying 80% of the evaluation, the operation and the after-care. But, as you can imagine, the 20% he’ll have to pay is substantial. And the medication costs $1,500 per month after the insurance. Wendell also must pay for lodging at a recovery unit on the Mayo campus, which will cost another $1,000 (after insurance) per month for a minimum stay of three months.

He’s told that he can’t even get on the transplant list until he gets enough money together to cover his  part of the medication and other expenses he must pay after insurance.

A successful transplant could add years to Wendell’s life; without the transplant, Wendell’s prognosis is poor.

Wendell is loved by so many. Let’s band together and help him as he has helped us time and time again. Please consider giving. All donations are appreciated, no matter how small.