Hello Everyone! My name is Darlene and I am raising funds for my very good friend John Turner for his upcoming surgery expenses.

John and I first met years ago in a Facebook group over our mutual love of Boston Terriers and we bonded almost immediately. Through the years I have watched him continually give of himself to others. John has been instrumental in the reorganization of a national 501C3 pet therapy group that not only evaluates pets for therapy work, but also certifies them as therapy dogs. In addition to personally training these dogs to be polite and helpful therapy pets, John uses the rest of his precious time to give back to his community by visiting children’s hospitals and cancer centers (as co-vid permits) and, through a few local schools, he and Mickey, (John’s service and registered therapy dog) work with troubled and abused children with behavior and/or learning issues. Oh and if you are passing through an airport here in Florida and happen to see a man with a Boston Terrier visiting and calming those fearful of flying, well, that would be John and Mickey. Stop and give them a wave!

Over the past few years, I have watched this man’s body mass dwindle and his health decline. His body is nutritionally starved due to the nature of his condition yet he continues to volunteer his services helping others. Through every challenge (and there have been so many) this medically disabled man draws on his inner strength time and time again yet I know deep down inside he is scared and many nights he lies sleepless, worrying. But he would never let you know it. Nor would he ask for help. So this is where I come in. I will be the one to let you know…I will be the one to ask for help for my friend John.

John Turner is a pancreatic cancer survivor. It was 2003 when he had his first whipple surgery to remove a tumor from the head of his pancreas. Someone was surely looking over him because he survived fifteen (15) years before there were any indications of more problems.

In 2018 he underwent a second surgery to have a revision of the whipple surgery. Unfortunately there were many complications and John suffered both aneurysms and multiple infections and nothing has been right since then. The damage had been done and it is irreparable.

There is one and only one option left. In 2021 John traveled from his home in Florida to Minneapolis, Minnesota to meet with a group of surgeons that are able and willing to help fix John’s problem. It will mean the total removal of his pancreas and spleen and then to transplant isolate cells to help prevent him from being a brittle diabetic. Scary stuff...

After more than a bit of debating with his insurance company, they agreed to cover all but 20% of the procedure. But this is just one of many hurdles. After the procedure, he will need to live in Minneapolis for nearly two (2) months within close proximity to the hospital to be monitored. Finding short term housing this close to the hospital has been more than a challenge and costs alone for housing expenses could exceed $5,000. And John still has to maintain his Florida home and expenses. In addition John will need to cover all co-pays upfront along with any prescriptions such as insulin that are filled in Minneapolis since the insurance company will not pay for those outside of Florida. Additionally, travel expenses to Minneapolis and transportation to and from the hospital and little things like food have not been included either. With so many variables and unknowns, the total could be well over $15,000. But tell me, what is a life worth?

Time is running out and desperation leads me here. John’s surgery date has been set for March 4, 2022

In closing, I would like to say thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read my plea for John. Don’t be shy, feel free to ask questions.

Donations of any size would be so very appreciated. We can not do this alone. Please please help by sharing this everywhere, anywhere or at least to your page to help spread the word. You CAN make a difference. And as always, prayers and good thoughts are most welcome.