Leslee Barerra Medical Fund
Spende geschützt
Hello Friends! My name is Gail Palmer. I am the Children's Librarian at the Arkansas City Public Library. I am writing today for two reasons. I have a dear friend, Leslee Barerra, who needs our help and I have a very important message of friendship and health that I hope you share with the people you love.
This story began in December 2015. My very wise and thoughtful friend, Terri Seidel, wrote me an email inviting me to make an appointment for a mammogram the same afternoon as hers. She knew I was late. I have always been fearful of breast cancer as my grandmother passed away from it. The last thing I wanted to think about before Christmas was this! Knowing that I was late on my yearly schedule, I agreed to go on January 5th and our appointments were set.
January 5th came and Terri passed her mammogram with flying colors. I was not so lucky. I was called back for a sonogram and chose to also do a biopsy that afternoon. The next day, the Dr called and said the words you hope to never hear. I had breast cancer. The next weeks were filled with appointments, surgery and days away from a job I love. Thanks to many prayers and excellent care, I am back at work, almost through my treatment and looking forward to a long, healthy and very thankful life!
Everyday I can't help but think about what if my friend hadn't invited me to join her. How long would I have put off that dreaded appointment? Would I have waited months? Years? Until it was too late? Early detection of breast cancer has now become my mission. I am asking you to forward this to someone you love that may need that extra push like I did. Offer to go with them, have lunch and do a little shopping, make it an event! Terri and I will do that every year, please do the same!
When I went back to work in February, one of my first patrons to visit with was Leslee Barrera. Leslee and I met at the library and I knew immediately that she was a special person. She is a Children's Case Manager and brings children to the library to work with them on behaviors. I enjoy seeing what game, puzzle or craft she will bring and share with them. They clearly enjoy their time with her as do I!
Leslee has always been diligent about her yearly mammograms and told me that she was glad I had posted my story on facebook as it was her reminder to schedule that appointment. I was very sad to hear from her later that her appointment had not gone well and her cancer was much more aggressive than mine. She was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, which is rare and the most aggressive form of breast cancer. It often reoccurs within 3-5 years and requires a complete mastectomy. It was fortunate that she went when she did but she has a tough battle ahead of her.
There are many things that you do not fully understand in life until you go through it and this experience opened my eyes to more than one. The financial stress of cancer is one of these. While you receive the bad news, and are fighting for your life, large medical bills in your mail just seem mean to me! I think beautiful get- well cards are all that should be in your mailbox when you are sick! It seems like it would be more fair if all bills stopped during a serious illness, but the reality is, for most people it is a huge financial strain.
This is not the first dificult situation Leslee has had to face. When her children were very young, her family was headed to Wichita to celebrate her son's birthday. They were in a car accident, killing her husband and leaving her and her 3 children in critical condition. Leslee had a tough road ahead of her but handled it with the same grace and strength that she is handling cancer. Her family is a great support system. She has a daughter, Stacia Barrett and two sons, Garrett and T.J. Gilliland. Visits from her sweet grandson, Dominic, bring a smile to her face and lift her spirits!
Leslee will check in to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston on Monday, April 24. She was chemo-resistant to the first form of treatment and the tumors continued to grow. Leslee is hopeful about her new treatment plan at MD Anderson. Please keep her in your prayers. I pray everyday for a cure to this awful disease.
If you are able to help Leslee financially, please contribute to this gofundme account. Any amount will help with the large financial burden from treatment and travel that she will face. Please feel free to leave a message for Leslee.Thank you in advance for your thoughtful donation!
In closing, please remember to schedule your mammogram or remind someone you love to schedule theirs. I will never be late with mine again!
Sincerely,
Gail Palmer
This story began in December 2015. My very wise and thoughtful friend, Terri Seidel, wrote me an email inviting me to make an appointment for a mammogram the same afternoon as hers. She knew I was late. I have always been fearful of breast cancer as my grandmother passed away from it. The last thing I wanted to think about before Christmas was this! Knowing that I was late on my yearly schedule, I agreed to go on January 5th and our appointments were set.
January 5th came and Terri passed her mammogram with flying colors. I was not so lucky. I was called back for a sonogram and chose to also do a biopsy that afternoon. The next day, the Dr called and said the words you hope to never hear. I had breast cancer. The next weeks were filled with appointments, surgery and days away from a job I love. Thanks to many prayers and excellent care, I am back at work, almost through my treatment and looking forward to a long, healthy and very thankful life!
Everyday I can't help but think about what if my friend hadn't invited me to join her. How long would I have put off that dreaded appointment? Would I have waited months? Years? Until it was too late? Early detection of breast cancer has now become my mission. I am asking you to forward this to someone you love that may need that extra push like I did. Offer to go with them, have lunch and do a little shopping, make it an event! Terri and I will do that every year, please do the same!
When I went back to work in February, one of my first patrons to visit with was Leslee Barrera. Leslee and I met at the library and I knew immediately that she was a special person. She is a Children's Case Manager and brings children to the library to work with them on behaviors. I enjoy seeing what game, puzzle or craft she will bring and share with them. They clearly enjoy their time with her as do I!
Leslee has always been diligent about her yearly mammograms and told me that she was glad I had posted my story on facebook as it was her reminder to schedule that appointment. I was very sad to hear from her later that her appointment had not gone well and her cancer was much more aggressive than mine. She was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, which is rare and the most aggressive form of breast cancer. It often reoccurs within 3-5 years and requires a complete mastectomy. It was fortunate that she went when she did but she has a tough battle ahead of her.
There are many things that you do not fully understand in life until you go through it and this experience opened my eyes to more than one. The financial stress of cancer is one of these. While you receive the bad news, and are fighting for your life, large medical bills in your mail just seem mean to me! I think beautiful get- well cards are all that should be in your mailbox when you are sick! It seems like it would be more fair if all bills stopped during a serious illness, but the reality is, for most people it is a huge financial strain.
This is not the first dificult situation Leslee has had to face. When her children were very young, her family was headed to Wichita to celebrate her son's birthday. They were in a car accident, killing her husband and leaving her and her 3 children in critical condition. Leslee had a tough road ahead of her but handled it with the same grace and strength that she is handling cancer. Her family is a great support system. She has a daughter, Stacia Barrett and two sons, Garrett and T.J. Gilliland. Visits from her sweet grandson, Dominic, bring a smile to her face and lift her spirits!
Leslee will check in to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston on Monday, April 24. She was chemo-resistant to the first form of treatment and the tumors continued to grow. Leslee is hopeful about her new treatment plan at MD Anderson. Please keep her in your prayers. I pray everyday for a cure to this awful disease.
If you are able to help Leslee financially, please contribute to this gofundme account. Any amount will help with the large financial burden from treatment and travel that she will face. Please feel free to leave a message for Leslee.Thank you in advance for your thoughtful donation!
In closing, please remember to schedule your mammogram or remind someone you love to schedule theirs. I will never be late with mine again!
Sincerely,
Gail Palmer
Organisator und Spendenbegünstigter
Gail Palmer
Organisator
Arkansas City, KS
Leslee Barrera
Spendenbegünstigte