Support Keith's Family in Their Time of Need

Help Keith Perkins and His Family in Their Time of Need

As many of you know, Keith has been bravely battling Multiple Myeloma (MM) since his diagnosis on November 12, 2017. The journey has been long, and when Keith first met with his specialist at Dana Farber in January 2018, he was given just 10 months to live. Since that time, Keith, his wife Jenny, and their family have shown remarkable strength and resilience in the face of this devastating illness. Despite the hardships, they have fought every step of the way. But now, they find themselves at a point where they need your help more than ever.

Jenny has carried the weight of working full-time to support the family while managing their medical insurance. But in September, the situation became even more overwhelming due to Keith no longer able to be home alone, their youngest son, Matthew, moved in to help alleviate some of the burden. Together, Jenny and Matthew have been working tirelessly—Jenny working four 10-hour shifts a week, and Matthew working overnight shifts—to ensure that Keith is never alone. Their work schedules have left them both with only 4-5 hours of sleep each night, and the exhaustion has been taking its toll on both Jenny and Matthew.

Last week, Keith entered hospice care, and the family was informed of a program that could pay Matthew $19 per hour to help care for Keith, which would allow Jenny to sleep through the night, etc. However, the family was recently told they earn too much to qualify for this program. This news has added even more stress to an already overwhelming situation, specifically due to the family making the decision for Matthew to give up his job so he will be home full-time.

After nearly seven years of fighting, the financial strain on Keith and Jenny has become unbearable. Medical bills, ongoing treatments, and numerous other medical costs have drained their savings through the years. The family is now facing the heartbreaking reality of additional financial instability, and they need our help.

Matthew has personal bills, and not qualifying for the program to be a paid caregiver will increase the financial difficulties Jenny already faces. By coming together, we can help ease the burden on Jenny and Keith. Our goal is to raise $15,000 to assist this family during this incredibly challenging time. The funds will go toward supporting Matthew in his caregiving role so he can continue to pay his monthly bills, with any remaining funds to be used for additional costs that will arise.

This donation will help provide peace of mind during an unimaginable time, allowing Jenny to continue working as long as she can, and Matthew to focus on giving his father the care he deserves. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful impact.

Keith graduated from Bucksport High School in 1977, and soon after, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He later graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1986. Jenny and Keith have been together since 1999 and were married on 02/02/02. They resided in Bucksport until April 2018, when they sold their home and purchased a new one in Bangor to be closer to Jenny's work, Cancer Care, and EMMC. Although Keith has no biological children, he has been a loving father figure to Toni, Reggie, and Matthew Bamford, and is known as Bampi to his granddaughter Nora.

Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and support. It means the world to our family, and we are deeply grateful for anything you can give. If you are not able to donate, please consider sharing this

Jenny Bamford-Perkins and Keith Perkins