Our friend Dawn needs our help.

Dear Friends,

Dawn needs our help,

As most of you know, In June Dawn Tavares was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis. This is a terminal lung condition where scar tissue progressively builds up in the lungs making it more and more difficult to breathe. Currently, she has only 18% lung capacity and is in the process of evaluation for a double lung transplant.

Dawn puts as brave a face as she can on her situation, but life is a daily struggle. Her lung impairment has limited her mobility. For safety reasons she cannot be alone and has had to move into a room at her mother’s house. She has to take numerous medications that cause nausea and loss of appetite, and she must live with the dread and anxiety that come with such an illness. Thankfully, insurance is covering her medical expenses at this time.

Dawn is suffering economically too from both loss of income and added expenses related to her illness. She had to give up the two foster boys she was caring for, and has had to scale back her day care service. She has dug deep into her savings to purchase numerous items related to her illness and loss of mobility. Although she must stay at her mother’s house, she still has most of the expenses (taxes, insurance, etc.) of maintaining her own home. She is currently not receiving disability or any government assistance. Disability is a long process and expected to take a minimum of seven months, but could take a year or more.

It is very sad for Dawn, but her illness is quite dire.

Please share this on your page. Any donations that you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Marlene Francis