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Douglas Flanders' fight against cancer

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Douglas and Kristie Flanders are longtime Bloomington residents and have been a part of the Indiana University community for over three decades. While Kristie works at Indiana University as a building manager, Douglas had worked at the same job as a steel technician for over 27 years. Both have worked tirelessly throughout their lives to provide for their small family and they live paycheck to paycheck between their two incomes. Despite their hardships, Doug and Kristie have always dedicated themselves to helping their friends and everyone around them.

On August 13th of this year, Douglas and Kristie’s world turned upside down when Douglas was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer IIB Stage 3, which is a rapidly growing and spreading cancer with an unknown outcome at this time. Douglas’ treatment requires an expensive high-calorie liquid diet, 28 days of radiation and five rounds of chemotherapy. After this treatment, Douglas may have to undergo a major surgery that removes most of his esophagus, which will require him to relearn how to eat and drink. 

Douglas and Kristie are incredibly overwhelmed with the amount and quantity of the added expenses of these medical bills, on top of their usual bills of utilities, insurance, groceries, etc... and all this in addition to caring for Kristie’s elderly mother. At this rate, they are at risk of losing their house and car due to these increasing financial obligations. 

Moreover, their feeling of being overwhelmed became much worse when less than a month ago, Douglas was forced to leave his job because his medical treatments were requiring him to miss too much work. This leaves Douglas and Kristie to now get by and handle these medical expenses with only one paycheck. As this is virtually impossible, we are asking you to help Douglas and Kristie this Holiday season, in any way you can. Please find the compassion within yourself to help these two through an impossibly difficult time; your gift will allow Douglas and Kristie more precious time together in this life that they have shared for nearly 20 years.
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    Organizer and beneficiary

    Eric Johnson
    Organizer
    Bloomington, IN
    Kristie Flanders
    Beneficiary

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