Please Help my Mom - Small Cell Lung Cancer, Covid
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My mom, Doreen Ruggiero, has always been a hardworking and caring person. She had opened her own hair salon back in 2006 and even married her childhood best friend. No matter how bad things where financially for us she always found the time in her heart to care for me and support our family.
In May of 2019, Doreen was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung Cancer. Not long after, my father, who was unemployed at the time had returned to drinking. That summer he was arrested for violating parole and sent to prison. Doreen made plenty of strides in her treatments, getting through 10 days of radiation and intensive chemotherapy sessions. With help from extended family she made every session on top of continuing to work and run her business. In order to support myself so she didn't have to I ended up working three jobs that summer. She eventually entered into immunotherapy and even got to ring the bell saying she had finished chemo.
Summer of 2020 brought on a whole new set of challenges. The cancer around her throat had started to grow back and Doreen had to stop immunotherapy treatments and return for a second round of chemotherapy sessions. The dosage on her first session hospitalized her. She nearly died. By mid August, she was unable to work and my father had to come back in order to help around the house. Then we all contracted COVID. Doreen been hospitalized temporarily only to be sent back to our house so we could all quarantine together. My father returned to drinking and was arrested for a parole violation again.
Now it is September. Doreen has virtually no income since unemployment has been slashed and disability will take over a month to get finalized. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic the only job I have been able to find pays at best $10 and hour. My mother is at point where she has to choose between housing expenses, treatment and food as I can barely financially support myself and my father is no longer employed.
One months expenses for both the mortgage and electric bill even out to a little more than $2000. Although our symptoms have gotten better, we are still under isolation by the state for the next week or two. Even if we don't come close to the goal set, anything would help. If you have gotten this far, thank you even for taking the time to listen.
In May of 2019, Doreen was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung Cancer. Not long after, my father, who was unemployed at the time had returned to drinking. That summer he was arrested for violating parole and sent to prison. Doreen made plenty of strides in her treatments, getting through 10 days of radiation and intensive chemotherapy sessions. With help from extended family she made every session on top of continuing to work and run her business. In order to support myself so she didn't have to I ended up working three jobs that summer. She eventually entered into immunotherapy and even got to ring the bell saying she had finished chemo.
Summer of 2020 brought on a whole new set of challenges. The cancer around her throat had started to grow back and Doreen had to stop immunotherapy treatments and return for a second round of chemotherapy sessions. The dosage on her first session hospitalized her. She nearly died. By mid August, she was unable to work and my father had to come back in order to help around the house. Then we all contracted COVID. Doreen been hospitalized temporarily only to be sent back to our house so we could all quarantine together. My father returned to drinking and was arrested for a parole violation again.
Now it is September. Doreen has virtually no income since unemployment has been slashed and disability will take over a month to get finalized. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic the only job I have been able to find pays at best $10 and hour. My mother is at point where she has to choose between housing expenses, treatment and food as I can barely financially support myself and my father is no longer employed.
One months expenses for both the mortgage and electric bill even out to a little more than $2000. Although our symptoms have gotten better, we are still under isolation by the state for the next week or two. Even if we don't come close to the goal set, anything would help. If you have gotten this far, thank you even for taking the time to listen.
Organizer
James Ruggiero
Organizer
Bensalem Township, PA