Rally to help Bruce and Dora fight stage 4 cancer
Donation protected
On Jan 4, 2018 we laid my Aunt Paula Jo to her final rest after a two year fight and horrible end with cancer. She is my dads, Marlin "Bruce" Carpenter, sister. Only four short months later, after having some pain in his hip but otherwise feeling fine, my mom, Dora, and my dad, Bruce, received devastating news...Bruce had renal cancer that was progressed to a stage 4 which had mestasized to his lungs, brain, skin and bones with a broken hip. We were all stunned and in a state of shock. How could this be? With the death of his sister so fresh and raw and the fact that he had just weeks before started a new job and therefore basically had no insurance, just how could the universe be playing such a cruel joke on Bruce and our family? Unreal.
The last seven months has been a whirlwind of tests and treatments, bad news and figuring out how to deal with exoribent medical fees. Immunotherapy, a hoped for cure, did absolutely nothing followed by Radiation. Now, chemotherapy and all of the nasty side effects that result, is his daily routine for the rest of his life.
The hospital and oncology center has classified Bruce under a "catastrophic charity" program which has helped with treatment fees but it doesn't cover everything and that comes to an end on 12/31/18. My parents are expected to find medical insurance to take care of these medical treatments with all of the benefits someone with cancer needs. As those of you on fixed or low incomes know, great medical insurance is a luxury that is difficult to afford. So now, my poor mom, who is struggling to keep it all together and to be strong for Bruce, has to try and navigate the screwed up world of insurance to find a company who would even consider insuring him and then figure out how to pay for it.
Bruce has been our dad for thirty years. He married my mom when I was 17 and my sisters were 15 and 13. He walked into a ready made family with no experience and little foresight of what was ahead. What he brought to our family was a solid male presence we had missed for several years ( our father was killed in a traffic accident a few years earlier). He brought many, many tales of his days in the Navy, working in a steel mill, and growing up the son of southern school teachers with a father who was also a preacher. He brought a lot of laughter to our family.
As the years have gone by, he has been Papaw to our children and now the same to the grandchildren coming along. He has made us laugh and he has made us cry. He has been there for us in good times and bad. He has supported my mom through cancer and seen his mom, dad and sister pass away. My mom and Bruce have helped us girls and our husband's too many times to count. They have helped family and friends through so many scenarios too numerous to categorize. They are good, caring and honest people who are struggling to keep it together and continue this challenging fight.
Our family is not one to ask for charity. My mom and Bruce have worked hard and never expected or felt entitled to handouts. Many times they have given their last dime to help others in need. Now, unknown to them right now and on their behalf, I am asking for help.
Bruce's fight to beat this cancer and continue to live is not done. He is not ready to tell us goodbye. We are not ready for him to go. Please help my mom and Bruce so that he can continue to get the treatments and scans and hospitalization that he needs. Please help my mom so that she can have even some small peace of mind that she can pay for the next thing that comes up. Please help.
There are no words expressive enough to convey our gratitude for any help you could provide so a simple heart felt " THANK YOU" is what I offer.
I hope that cures for cancer and live saving treatments continue to be sought. So many of you will be affected by it in some way during your lives. It's a terrible thing we all fear. I hope that you and your families never get that terrible news but if you do, we will be there for you too.
Thank you so much and God bless you,
Valerie, Sherry and Melanie
The last seven months has been a whirlwind of tests and treatments, bad news and figuring out how to deal with exoribent medical fees. Immunotherapy, a hoped for cure, did absolutely nothing followed by Radiation. Now, chemotherapy and all of the nasty side effects that result, is his daily routine for the rest of his life.
The hospital and oncology center has classified Bruce under a "catastrophic charity" program which has helped with treatment fees but it doesn't cover everything and that comes to an end on 12/31/18. My parents are expected to find medical insurance to take care of these medical treatments with all of the benefits someone with cancer needs. As those of you on fixed or low incomes know, great medical insurance is a luxury that is difficult to afford. So now, my poor mom, who is struggling to keep it all together and to be strong for Bruce, has to try and navigate the screwed up world of insurance to find a company who would even consider insuring him and then figure out how to pay for it.
Bruce has been our dad for thirty years. He married my mom when I was 17 and my sisters were 15 and 13. He walked into a ready made family with no experience and little foresight of what was ahead. What he brought to our family was a solid male presence we had missed for several years ( our father was killed in a traffic accident a few years earlier). He brought many, many tales of his days in the Navy, working in a steel mill, and growing up the son of southern school teachers with a father who was also a preacher. He brought a lot of laughter to our family.
As the years have gone by, he has been Papaw to our children and now the same to the grandchildren coming along. He has made us laugh and he has made us cry. He has been there for us in good times and bad. He has supported my mom through cancer and seen his mom, dad and sister pass away. My mom and Bruce have helped us girls and our husband's too many times to count. They have helped family and friends through so many scenarios too numerous to categorize. They are good, caring and honest people who are struggling to keep it together and continue this challenging fight.
Our family is not one to ask for charity. My mom and Bruce have worked hard and never expected or felt entitled to handouts. Many times they have given their last dime to help others in need. Now, unknown to them right now and on their behalf, I am asking for help.
Bruce's fight to beat this cancer and continue to live is not done. He is not ready to tell us goodbye. We are not ready for him to go. Please help my mom and Bruce so that he can continue to get the treatments and scans and hospitalization that he needs. Please help my mom so that she can have even some small peace of mind that she can pay for the next thing that comes up. Please help.
There are no words expressive enough to convey our gratitude for any help you could provide so a simple heart felt " THANK YOU" is what I offer.
I hope that cures for cancer and live saving treatments continue to be sought. So many of you will be affected by it in some way during your lives. It's a terrible thing we all fear. I hope that you and your families never get that terrible news but if you do, we will be there for you too.
Thank you so much and God bless you,
Valerie, Sherry and Melanie
Organizer and beneficiary
Valerie Urban
Organizer
New Smyrna Beach, FL
Dora Carpenter
Beneficiary