A Prayer and a Dollar!

Hi this is Joanne (Segura) Burns

and this is for all of us who feel helpless to help and want to do something- pay it forward. Can’t think of anyone more deserving!

Please Read.

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A Prayer and A Dollar!

WE RISE BY LIFTING OTHERS, LUKE 6:31

Whether you interpret that as your rising to heaven, increasing your capacity to love, the depth of your empathy or a random act of kindness, all are wonderful reasons for giving and will be accepted with a thankful and grateful heart.

Shari Weissenberger Morse was born and raised in Long Beach, New York, and married Eric Morse, a long-time GIGI Mover and Long Beach Cab employee, also from Long Beach married in 1979, a true love story. Then they welcomed their beautiful, baby girl, Sydney Anna in 2000. Shari was employed by the Jackson Hotel for 20-plus years and is currently the Property Manager of the Lido Beach Towers, out on medical leave.

They say the average person meets 80,000. people in their lifetime, so to say Shari is One In A Million is not an understatement! Ideally, I would love for this GoFundMe to go viral and I would ask for 1 million people to donate $1 and a prayer but realistically less of us will have to do more. It feels good to help others and I am asking ALL of YOU for your help and support.

Those of you who know Shari, know she has been battling ovarian cancer for 15 years! First diagnosed in 2008 when to her utter shock she was told she had Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer. Not only did she have cancer but her prior surgery in 2005 to remove her ovaries was a shame! To date, she has no idea what was removed or biopsied! What a horror and possibly the reason she has had cancer ever since with only short periods of remission. Ironically her doctor died of ovarian cancer about a year later. Sadly, Shari was three months past the date when any legal action for malpractice could be filed. Since that time she has undergone four more surgeries, each time clearing blockages and removing some parts of her intestines and bowel, followed by grueling, but life-saving chemotherapy. Shari has never complained, did the treatment plans as prescribed, and with God on her side, and loved ones supporting her, she survived and thrived! She even told me once, way back, in the beginning, she could see a silver lining, cancer taught her what was really important and she “doesn’t sweat the small stuff”.

At 62 years old TODAY, six surgeries, six times doing chemotherapy, suffering from neuropathy, her husband Eric dying suddenly of a massive heart attack the day before their daughter's 13th birthday, working full time, being a single parent, Lido Beach Towers going under new management, needing to move to save her home and needing to retire early, Shari needs you, she needs all of us!. Her strong, unwavering faith has guided her through the valleys but we need to get her to the mountaintop!

Let me tell you a story about what Long Beach, St. Mary's and the Lido mean to Shari. She weathered Hurricane Sandy in her home she worked hard to keep after her husband Eric died, and once Hurricane Sandy passed, she rode with her daughter, both on bicycles with flat tires to the Lido to access the damage and start planning for the clean up and repair. Then they rode their bikes to St.Mary’s to see how "her church" survived, thankfully still standing. After twenty-three years at the Lido, I cannot say how much I admire their support of her journey through all the sicknesses and recovery time. They are ahead of the times in being proactive and allowing Shari to get well each time and keeping her employed and insured.

Other stats say the average person knows 1500 people, has 150 friends, 3 best friends and interacts with 16 people a day. WE CAN DO THIS! If someone you love sends a link and asks you to donate please, please, please contribute because when you love someone, what matters to them should matter to you. Maybe you know Shari, Eric or Sydney, are a survivor, the story somehow resonates with you, you love Long Beach, you love New York, love cooking, live in the Lido, like bike rides on the boardwalk, love the beach, love dogs, had a beer at Nolan’s, want to feed your soul, do God’s work, want to pay it forward, reverse some bad Karma- it’s all good!

You ask: How can I help? What can I do? Easy, donate what you can and equally important, SHARE the Gofundme page with everyone you know by any means possible and ask them to share with their loved ones and so on and so on until we provide Shari with the comfort she will need to face the upcoming chemotherapy treatments without worry about losing her home or worrying about anything else but getting better.

Gofundme allows multiple safe ways to donate but if you do not bank online personal checks or cash can be mailed directly to Shari Morse C/O Steven Morse, PO Box 177, Long Beach, NY 11561.

Shout out to Beth, Steven, Kristine, Kimberely, Beverly, Dr. John, St. Mary's community especially Father Brian and Father Leo for all the love and prayers, The Board of Directors at Lido Beach Towers and everyone who helped make recovery possible each and every time.

THANK YOU FOR LOVING SHARI, OFFERING SUPPORT AND SENDING PRAYERS!

Her Forever Friend, Joanne