Support Joe Stark's Hospice Care Costs

Dear friends and kind-hearted strangers,

My name is Brian Stark, and I am starting this GoFundMe page on behalf of my father, Franklyn Joseph Stark, who we affectionately call Joe, to help pay for the medical, hospital, and hospice care bills that my mother, Sally Stark, has just been settled with here in the remaining days of my father's life.

So, it is with a heavy heart and a plea for support for my father, who currently is in a hospice care facility in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, facing the toughest battle of his life. As we navigate these difficult times, we have encountered significant, unexpected medical bills that have added a tremendous burden to our family. What was supposed to be covered by Medicare resulted in a bill of over $6,836.34 for costs relating to when my father was first transferred to this facility nearly eight months ago. Then, within the last week, the administrators told my mother that this amount had gone unpaid, and they wanted two larger payments before letting her pay $300 for the last third. On top of this, we were told that rent for the room is $1,150.00 and the family's share is $1,086 per month, of which no one told my mother that these bills were coming. No, they told my mother that everything would be paid by Medicare as long as he was in hospice. Yesterday, July 29, 2024, my mother was told that when my father passed away, all outstanding debts would be due immediately. The doctor advised taking away some of my father's medicines because they were no longer having any effect on my dad's health. So... the time is coming close, and all these bills we just found out, as you can imagine, have greatly burdened my family.

About Joe

My father has always been a pillar of strength for our family. He is a loving father and a man who has spent his life helping others. My father's spirit is resilient and compassionate; despite adversity, he remains hopeful and strong. However, his condition is taking a severe toll, one he will not overcome.

The Situation

My father has always been the picture of health and vitality, spending his days fishing, woodworking, and reveling in the great outdoors. But one evening in November 2023, after returning from a trip to Walmart, he retired to his bedroom to unwind. A few minutes later, he emerged, pale and distressed, telling Mom he didn’t feel well. That night marked the beginning of an inexplicable nightmare. Dad was rushed to the hospital with symptoms the doctor could not diagnose. My father's behavior went from calm to increasingly aggressive and delusional over a period of a few days in the hospital to the point they had to restrain him, a stark contrast to his typically peaceful demeanor. Within days, he lost the ability to speak and walk and was tormented by severe hallucinations. Despite a barrage of CAT scans, MRIs, and exhaustive examinations, doctors remained baffled, unable to pinpoint the cause of his mysterious condition.

Now bedridden and helpless, my father began wasting away; his once robust frame alarmingly shrank as the pounds fell off day by day. The activities he loved so dearly were now impossible dreams, and his world became confined to a hospital bed. Eventually, he was transferred to Summit Point Hospice care facility, where the costs of his care have unexpectedly mounted beyond our ability to pay. While we do everything we can to manage, the financial burden, the fact remains most of the costs we were told would be paid by Medicare. However, I do want to preface this by saying after looking at the bills in person, Medicare has paid for a lot, but we remain disillusioned by the fact we were told something that was not true, which ended up in large, unexpected bills to keep my father comfortable during his last days. Thus, leaving us to reach out for help not just to ease the financial strain but also to bring some hope and support for my dad in this unimaginable ordeal.

How Will Your Donation Help?

Your generous contributions will directly go towards:

• Covering medical bills and hospice care expenses

• Ensuring Joe receives the best possible care and comfort in his remaining days

A Message from Our Family

We are deeply grateful for any support you can provide. No donation is too small, and every bit helps us move a step closer to ensuring Joe’s comfort and peace. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing this page with your network to help us reach more people who might be able to assist.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, generosity, and support during this incredibly challenging time.

With heartfelt gratitude,

The Stark Family