Hang in Donnie, we’re coming - #DonStrong
Donation protected
Don Riead rescued an adorable puppy … and now the adorable puppy has rescued Don. The story begins with probably one of the cutest little animals in the world needing a home and Don adopting her to give her a home and naming her Polly Pocket Puppy because she was so small when he found her she could fit in his pocket. The bond between them was instant. Don immediately fell in love with Polly and Polly immediately fell in love with Don and the two became inseparable. Don, a contractor, took Polly to work with him every day and she quickly became the mascot for the crew.
Some months ago Polly began licking an area behind Don’s right ear when he would lay down, always the same spot. She would lick and lick and lick as though she was trying to tell him something, trying to lick something away. Don’s wife, Joanie, seeing this and sensing something was wrong, booked an appointment for Don to go see a doctor. They got the worst kind of news … it was a brain tumor. Doctors booked him in for surgery right away and the tumor turned out to be malignant. The hope was that it would be the kind of malignancy they could treat and cure but it turned out to be an aggressive form of grade 4 brain cancer called glioblastoma. They gave Don 12 to 15 months to live. This was to say the least a devastating blow to Joanie and Don, and on returning home from the hospital Polly knew immediately something was wrong and wouldn’t let Don out of her sight.
Don is a giver, the kind of person who’s always there for everybody, always willing to help whoever needs help. Because of this his friends and family have rallied around him trying to give him as much support as possible. Throughout the ordeal he has remained positive and upbeat not wanting to burden anybody and has maintained the same cheery attitude he had before the diagnosis. This did not go unnoticed by his doctors. On observing his positive attitude they recommended him for a clinical trial that could possibly turn things around for him. His full-time concentration, therefore, must now be on his recovery … which means he can’t work … while the bills are mounting … insurance deductibles, co-pays, the usual monthly overhead. Joanie works but doesn’t bring in enough income to meet all that’s being thrown at them right now, so we, their friends and family, have organized this GoFundMe in hopes that contributions will come in that will help alleviate their financial pressure.
The stress that is on Don right now, and on Joanie, is unbearable. Imagine fighting a deadly cancer and having on top of that the stress of having to meet the monthly overhead not to mention the added stress of mounting insurance bills. Don needs to focus strictly on his recovery right now and not have to think about all this other … and to add to it, perhaps because of the stress, Polly has developed pancreatitis so there are now also vet bills.
Don’s friends and family can’t imagine a world without Don - so we need this clinical trial to work. And Polly Pocket Puppy … we don’t want to even think about what would happen to her if Don was no longer in the picture. She snuggles up to him every night knowing something’s wrong.
The reality is … sometimes life can be very unfair to good people ... and Don and Joanie are good people. But we can help them with your kind donations that will help alleviate the financial pressure. So please do make a donation, small or large, as every dollar helps ... and please share this with your friends and network. Donations will go directly to Don and Joanie to help with the financial repercussions of their situation.
Thank you for your contribution and may God bless you for your generosity.
Some months ago Polly began licking an area behind Don’s right ear when he would lay down, always the same spot. She would lick and lick and lick as though she was trying to tell him something, trying to lick something away. Don’s wife, Joanie, seeing this and sensing something was wrong, booked an appointment for Don to go see a doctor. They got the worst kind of news … it was a brain tumor. Doctors booked him in for surgery right away and the tumor turned out to be malignant. The hope was that it would be the kind of malignancy they could treat and cure but it turned out to be an aggressive form of grade 4 brain cancer called glioblastoma. They gave Don 12 to 15 months to live. This was to say the least a devastating blow to Joanie and Don, and on returning home from the hospital Polly knew immediately something was wrong and wouldn’t let Don out of her sight.
Don is a giver, the kind of person who’s always there for everybody, always willing to help whoever needs help. Because of this his friends and family have rallied around him trying to give him as much support as possible. Throughout the ordeal he has remained positive and upbeat not wanting to burden anybody and has maintained the same cheery attitude he had before the diagnosis. This did not go unnoticed by his doctors. On observing his positive attitude they recommended him for a clinical trial that could possibly turn things around for him. His full-time concentration, therefore, must now be on his recovery … which means he can’t work … while the bills are mounting … insurance deductibles, co-pays, the usual monthly overhead. Joanie works but doesn’t bring in enough income to meet all that’s being thrown at them right now, so we, their friends and family, have organized this GoFundMe in hopes that contributions will come in that will help alleviate their financial pressure.
The stress that is on Don right now, and on Joanie, is unbearable. Imagine fighting a deadly cancer and having on top of that the stress of having to meet the monthly overhead not to mention the added stress of mounting insurance bills. Don needs to focus strictly on his recovery right now and not have to think about all this other … and to add to it, perhaps because of the stress, Polly has developed pancreatitis so there are now also vet bills.
Don’s friends and family can’t imagine a world without Don - so we need this clinical trial to work. And Polly Pocket Puppy … we don’t want to even think about what would happen to her if Don was no longer in the picture. She snuggles up to him every night knowing something’s wrong.
The reality is … sometimes life can be very unfair to good people ... and Don and Joanie are good people. But we can help them with your kind donations that will help alleviate the financial pressure. So please do make a donation, small or large, as every dollar helps ... and please share this with your friends and network. Donations will go directly to Don and Joanie to help with the financial repercussions of their situation.
Thank you for your contribution and may God bless you for your generosity.
Co-organizers (4)
Andras Ostrom
Organizer
Madison, NJ
Don Riead
Beneficiary
Kim Zappulla
Co-organizer
Michael Moran
Co-organizer
Pat McLafferty
Co-organizer