Caring For The Caregiver
Donation protected
I am creating this Go Fund Me account on behalf of my sister, Mary Gannon. Mary is in her 38th year as an ICU nurse in a hospital in Manhattan. She started caring for ICU patients throughout the height of the AIDS epidemic and continued throughout this past year, which she spent caring for COVID patients.
In October of 2020, as she was recovering physically from the first wave of COVID patients, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The chemo has left her immunocompromised and with neuropathy that is affecting her hands and feet. She is facing two surgeries and additional recovery time after the surgery.
Because of the nature of ICU nursing, her doctors have said she will be unable to return to work for several more months. After much paperwork, her medical leave was approved, but it is an unpaid leave. At any other time, she would have had enough time banked to cover a large part of the leave, but last summer she, like many in her field, used some of her time to recover from the toll of caring for the sickest patients for so long.
Additionally, though some co-workers have been able to donate shifts, those co-workers who had the most time to share used shifts during the covid downturn here in NY, to recover themselves.
My sister is a single mom to my niece, Rakhee, and is the main source of income for her family.
Her whole life, my older sister has been a caregiver to family, friends, patients and strangers alike, never asking anything in return.
In the upcoming days, weeks and months, I want to make sure that Mary doesn't need to worry about medical and other expenses as she focuses on healing.
I ask that all who can contribute with ease and joy do so. If you are unable to donate PLEASE SHARE this. Because we are both immunosuppressed, I can't even go up to hug her and take care of her physically, but I can do everything in my power to help make sure she receives the ease of mind that will come from not worrying about medical and other expenses. I promise that everything she receives, she will return to the community many times over.
In October of 2020, as she was recovering physically from the first wave of COVID patients, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The chemo has left her immunocompromised and with neuropathy that is affecting her hands and feet. She is facing two surgeries and additional recovery time after the surgery.
Because of the nature of ICU nursing, her doctors have said she will be unable to return to work for several more months. After much paperwork, her medical leave was approved, but it is an unpaid leave. At any other time, she would have had enough time banked to cover a large part of the leave, but last summer she, like many in her field, used some of her time to recover from the toll of caring for the sickest patients for so long.
Additionally, though some co-workers have been able to donate shifts, those co-workers who had the most time to share used shifts during the covid downturn here in NY, to recover themselves.
My sister is a single mom to my niece, Rakhee, and is the main source of income for her family.
Her whole life, my older sister has been a caregiver to family, friends, patients and strangers alike, never asking anything in return.
In the upcoming days, weeks and months, I want to make sure that Mary doesn't need to worry about medical and other expenses as she focuses on healing.
I ask that all who can contribute with ease and joy do so. If you are unable to donate PLEASE SHARE this. Because we are both immunosuppressed, I can't even go up to hug her and take care of her physically, but I can do everything in my power to help make sure she receives the ease of mind that will come from not worrying about medical and other expenses. I promise that everything she receives, she will return to the community many times over.
Organizer and beneficiary
Liz Gannon-Graydon
Organizer
West Hempstead, NY
Mary Gannon
Beneficiary