Amanda and Joel's Journey

This is Jacob and Jenny. Jake and Joel are long time best friends and we want to help them.  We want to start by saying that Amanda and Joel did not, and would never ask for help but this is the least we can do to help our great friends.  We know everyone's lives are difficult right now due to COVID-19.  As many may know Amanda and Joel's lives were turned upside down when Amanda got the news last Friday, May 15th that she has leukemia.  They left their 5 girls behind  in Champaign as Amanda was immediately transported by ambulance to Barnes hospital in St Louis. She will need to stay in the hospital for treatment for at least a month. Due to COVID-19 nobody is allowed to be by her side in the hospital, not 1 person, zero visitors. Can you imagine getting this life changing medical diagnosis and having nobody to be by your side as you take on all this? Because we can't, but Amanda is doing it and she is doing it with flying colors.  Joel is staying in a hotel near the hospital to be near her and is able to drop things off to her at the hospital door and hand it to a nurse, still unable to see her.  As test results came back this week they diagnosed her with AML and the specific mutation is BCR-ABL. Amanda could not be in better hands being at Barnes. The doctors and nurses are top notch and respond quickly to get her on the right treatment path. She started chemo this week and has a long journey ahead to kick this cancer in the butt!!  We know she can do it, and she will! Amanda and Joel need to focus on the most important things right now, Amanda's treatment and recovery, and their 5 beautiful girls back home. This is extremely challenging especially given this world we are all living in right now and we want to help them and ease some of the financial stress that will seem never ending in the days and months to come. We love Amanda and Joel and this is the least we can do! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts ❤