Support Susan Wasson's Fight Against Cancer

Hi. My name is Kelly LoPiccolo. My very dear friend, Susan Wasson has been diagnosed with kidney and esophageal cancer. Her diagnosis came as a shock of course. Susan became a friend to me more than fifteen years ago when I started working with her. We worked together in an inpatient hospice facility where we provided care to patients who were in the end stages of all sorts of medical battles. There was a "tribe" as we have deemed ourselves, that worked together trying to make each day the best that it could be for these patients who might not have a tomorrow. Susan played an integral role in this care. She coordinated nurses, doctors, nursing assistants, dietary staff, housekeeping, all while being an amazing friend, daughter, sister, aunt, and so much more.

Additionally, for all the years I have known Susan, she has worked as a caregiver for patients in their homes, who couldn't get out, or didn't have someone to care for them. I will always hear Susan in my head saying "oh I can't come to that function, I'm taking care of my little fella that day". It brought Susan so much joy, but more important is the joy and relief it brought to the many people she has taken care of over the years. Susan also delights in taking care of her family and friends. When we worked in the hospice unit together, at Christmas time Susan would make a gift bag for EVERY SINGLE employee in the unit. It didn't matter if we'd worked there 10 years or a minute. Susan always wanted everyone to feel included. I can even remember her running down to the gift shop to get a couple little extra things because somebody might not have as much as someone else. Trust me I could write a book about Susan and her servant's heart. I'll suffice it to say she is so good.

Now Susan is in a battle of her own. She has always been the caregiver, but now she is the one needing care. Susan has an awesome job, but she is unable to work currently due to chemo/radiation/surgery, which will all converge over the next several months. Susan has worked all her life to save for her future and for her retirement. But she never expected she would encounter a situation such as this. Cancer is not selective. Susan didn't choose it. It chose her.

So now, Susan's family and friends (who have become family) want to help her. She will need money to assist with medical bills, transportation to and from treatments, and to assist in paying her living expenses over these next several months to a year. If you feel compelled to donate, we would be so very grateful. If you are unable to donate, that is okay too. Please feel free to assist Susan in other ways, such as rides, sending cards, yard work, errands. This is a difficult situation for Susan for obvious reasons, but what's hidden is this, Susan is a careGIVER by nature. She is not used to being the one being taken care of. We cannot take away her cancer for her, but we can make it a better journey. We can make each day the best day it can be. Thank you so much for taking the time to read Susan's story.