Friends Of Barbara Dever

We are so grateful for our friend Barbara.  She is a devoted member of Transfiguration of Our Lord Catholic Parish and remains a committed public servant, working with the Chicago Park District for over 31 years.  When Barbara hears a call for help, she heeds without hesitation.  This unconditional love for others is remarkable, even extraordinary, given she has lived with Lupus since age 16.

Lupus is a chronic disease occuring when the body's immune system attacks its own tissues and organs.  Lupus never goes into remission and there is no cure.  Barbara tries to explain the disease this way, "There are times when you feel terrible and things are happening to your body and you know it is because you ate jelly beans or something."

For the past 3 years, Barbara's disease have been extremely active, leaving her unable to do the things that drive her: working, caring for others, dancing, drawing and painting.  Debilitating fatigue, at times so intense she was unable to rise from her desk to make the trip home from work, has resulted in muscle loss so severe she cannot swallow food correctly.  She experiences very high temperatures, tremors and stuttering, swollen joints, crippling pain.  Last year, unable to climb the stairs to her 2nd floor apartment, Barbara moved back into her parent's home.  Photosensitivity has limited her ability to venture out and she has been unable to work since summer, 2016.

Our goal is to help pay the cost of alternative treatments and future living accommodations.  These treatments, often extremely effective in allowing patients to regain a sense of normalcy through better daily health, are expensive and not covered by traditional insurance. 

Thank you for any help you can provide. Please reach out to us at [email redacted] with any questions. Deborah Maddox is the creator of the account.