Preston Van Doren's Surgery Aid

Hi all, I am Chelsea LaBenne! Thanks for being here and having interest in helping out one of the most loving, hardworking, and genuine people in the world. Let me start by saying, the Van Dorens do not know I have put this together and we are trying to keep it on the down low until we can bless them with this gift. They would never ask for this kind of help, but would give it to others without hesitation and that is exactly why I feel called to start this fundraiser in the first place!

My husband Brock and I have been friends with the Van Dorens for years. We were all raised here in Spokane and still live in this wonderful city. Brock and Preston became best buds in preschool, grew up together, were in each other's weddings and now we are all neighbors. Preston is Uncle Preston to our kids and if you know him personally, you know just how awesome of a guy he is! Preston’s wife and myself cheered together in high school and since the boys have always been so close her and I became best friends too! Now our daughters play togethermost days and we wouldn’t change a thing about it!

For those of you that don't know Preston too well, or have randomly come across this fundraiser, here's a little background. Preston Van Doren is a hardworking, loud, tell it like it is guy, with the biggest heart and soul for his community and family. If anyone is ever in need, he is there to lend a helping hand and brighten the mood along the way with his jokes and ridiculous dance moves. He is married to Lindsay, the sweetest gal you will ever meet, and father to Parker Joy, a sassy and spunky 2-year-old that will win over anyones heart. Together they own Van Doren Construction in Spokane, WA, a company specializing in framing beautiful homes, shops, and barns. 

On November 19th, Preston went to bed seemingly healthy and happy with his wife snuggled up next to him. In the middle of the night, she heard Preston making strange noises and turned to see he was having a Grand Mal Seizure. Lindsay called an ambulance and Preston was taken directly to the hospital where tests and labs were run throughout the night. After bloodwork, EKGS, a CT scan, and an MRI, they found that the seizure was caused by a tumor on Preston's brain. Thankfully and praise the Lord, this tumor is benign. The doctor's believe it will be fairly easy to remove in the grand scheme of tumor removal, but will require brain surgery. 

Preston, the construction loving, sole provider of their household, will not be able to drive or operate heavy machinery for 2-3 months after his surgery and is not to step foot on a ladder, all pretty crucial to his career, until well after his surgery when doctors are certain there are no side effects of his surgery and no threat of seizures. Thankfully, Preston has a wonderful crew of men to continue some of his work for Van Doren Construction, but not everything will be able to continue as usual and this adds to the stress on this amazing family. 

We would love to be able to bless the Van Dorens with this gift as they head into the challenging months ahead. I have created this fundraiser to raise money for the inevitable medical expenses from the night of the seizure, the upcoming doctor's appointments and surgery costs, as well as to help out this sweet family we all love during this hard and unexpected time. 

If you are able to donate any amount to this fund we thank you immensely for your love and contribution. If you are unable to make a donation of monetary value, we understand, and ask that you bless this family with prayers for health, skilled surgeons and medical professionals, no more seizures, and quick healing. No matter what your donation is, continuous prayers for this family are welcome and greatly appreciated! 

Thank you for supporting our dear friend and his family during this unfortunate time. 

Health and happiness, 

Chelsea LaBenne

UPDATE as of 12/12/20:

Preston is doing well all things considered. His surgery has been rescheduled for December 16th. Enough people were being shifted into the ICU on his original surgery date and because he is stable and able to wait, he was bumped to a later date. The Van Dorens are obviously a little down about it, they were mentally prepared to get through the procedure and get to the healing process.However, they are being positive and taking this time as a blessing in disguise and spending more time with Parker doing fun Christmas activities! We will update on here as we know more. If you follow the extended family on social medias, they are updating there as well. 

He has a long recovery road ahead, so as mentioned before continuous prayers and healing thoughts are encouraged and appreciated. 

Preston is aware that this donation is coming, but he is unaware of the amount. In the interest of time and keeping as few steps aspossible for the Van Dorens during this hectic time, we will withdraw the donations into the account of Brock and Chelsea LaBenne and then immediately transfer the funds to Preston and Lindsay Van Doren. Those of you that know Preston personally, know that this simple technological step could be the downfall of him receiving the money if tasked with doing it himself . As soon as the money is deposited, we will make the transfer electronically and will post a screenshot so you can see that the funds have been given to the Van Dorens. 

GoFundMe takes out a fee of 2.9%. So based off of the current donation amount, the Van Dorens will receive $12,332.56! An incredible gift that will help them immensely, thank you! 

These donations will be used to cover the costs of his November 19th ambulance ride and Emergency Room visit as described above. Any remaining funds will be used to help with the cost of pre-surgery doctor appointments and surgery costs. 

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me, Chelsea LaBenne, by emailing [email redacted]. 

Thank you again for your support and continuous prayers. 

Chelsea LaBenne