Hello. My name is Melissa Varin Somuyiwa. My very good friends Dawn, Rick, and their teenage daughter Ashley are currently at serious risk of eviction from their apartment in Franklin, MA. I never thought I would have to watch my friends face the possibility of losing their home. We’ve all heard of homelessness and wondered how things could get so bad in someone’s life. Well, now you may personally know someone that’s only a few steps away from this personal tragedy and it’s through no fault of their own. Both Dawn and her husband, Rick Megna, were diagnosed with lung cancer and these diagnoses were only a mere 15 months apart.

Dawn was diagnosed with lung cancer back in April of 2024. After intensive chemotherapy treatment, immunotherapy, and a major surgery to remove the cancer back in September of 2024, Dawn was on the road to recovery. This was amazing news! She had just fought a battle for her life and won! She was hopeful that, in time, she could return to work and that her and her family’s lives could go back to normal. Unfortunately, the combination of the cancer, the powerful medications, and the life altering surgery has had severe effects on Dawn’s body. The surgery involved the removal of two ribs, part of her chest cavity, a lobe of her lung, and eighteen lymph nodes. Unsurprisingly, her body needs a significant amount of time to heal. She’s been struggling with continued pain, nausea, and brain fog that have made her unable to return to work. She’s currently receiving meager Social Security Disability benefits. Unfortunately, her oncologist believes that it may take another year before she is strong enough to return to work.

While Dawn was literally fighting for her life, her husband Rick (who she’s been married to for eighteen years) was fighting to keep the family afloat financially. He sometimes worked seven days a week to make enough money to pay the family’s rent and living expenses. But, this past spring, Rick started losing weight, experiencing chest pain, and feeling unwell. He finally went to the doctor this past summer and had an xray. That’s when the tumors were found. After the doctors ran additional tests, Rick received the diagnosis of Adenocarcinoma non-small cell stage 3 lung cancer. Lightning had struck his family not once, but twice! After watching his wife struggle with this disease, he now has to fight the battle himself. Rick is currently undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy. If he responds well to the treatments and the tumors shrink enough in size, then the next stage in his treatment will be surgery, which requires significant recovery time just as is the case with Dawn.

Rick is a hard working, determined, and (as Dawn would say!) stubborn man who has had great pride in his ability to support his family. He tried to fight through the pain, coughing fits, difficulty breathing and severe nausea caused by the chemotherapy. However, his job is a physical one and it became unsafe for him to continue. His oncologist demanded that he be taken out of work on October 2, 2025. As of right now, Rick’s doctor does not want him to return to his job until at least April 3, 2026.

I was there visiting with the family recently when they were still processing the repercussions of Rick being unable to work. How would they pay their bills? How would they put food on the table? How would they be able to pay their rent? How would they be able to tackle their increasing debt without income from not just one, but two providers? (They currently owe $50,000 in medical bills and about $15,000 in rent.) Their biggest fear right now, other than being evicted, is being unable to afford Rick’s medical benefits because he’s out of work. Without his benefits he can’t get the life saving treatments he needs right now to battle the lung cancer that’s ravaging his body. I saw the look of desperation and hopelessness in my friend’s eyes as her husband sat next to her struggling to talk on the phone and breathe and it was truly heartbreaking. I saw my friend Dawn look into her daughter’s eyes and say, “Ashley, you know I always tell you like it is. I never sugar coat things or lie to you. I don’t know what we’re going to do. I’ve never felt this way my entire life.” The powerlessness and agony I witnessed in that moment truly frightened me. How could this be happening to the people I care so much about?

While both Dawn and Rick have been battling cancer, their seventeen year old daughter Ashley has been fighting her own personal battles. Over the past few years, Ashley has been given multiple medical diagnoses and is, as a result, considered medically disabled. Despite this, she has been a strong and steadfast supporter of her parents and tries her best to be positive and cheerful. However, her smiles and jokes can never truly hide the sorrow she is feeling right now. Ashley is a senior in high school and has been studying Computer Information Systems at the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School. Because this is her senior year and she is working towards graduating, the additional stress of worrying about her parents’ health and her family’s financial predicament is making life very difficult for her. Your generosity could have a significant impact on her current situation and give her a little relief from the very grown up worries that she’s been forced to contend with.

Despite the fact that the Megnas are facing the most challenging time of their lives, I know they’re going to keep fighting. They know that, despite the odds being stacked against them, they have to put one foot in front of the other and just keep going, no matter what! I have faith that, with the help from his doctors, Rick can begin to heal just as Dawn has. I have faith that, in time, Dawn’s body will heal and she will not be in so much pain. I have faith that Ashley will finish high school and figure out her place in the world just as every young adult must do. And, with the help of family, friends, and people in the community like you, Dawn, Rick, and Ashley can get the financial support they desperately need to get through this extremely difficult time in their lives. I implore you now to please consider giving what you can afford to help my good friends stay in their home. Rick, Dawn, and Ashley need a stable place to live to get through this extremely difficult period in their lives. They need your help now more than ever!