Help for Marilynn and Orion

As many of you may know, Orion went to the emergency room just before Thanksgiving experiencing shortness of breath. After a battery of tests, the diagnosis was almost unimaginable: cancer. Specifically, B-Cell Hodgkin's lymphoma, spreading from a mass on his neck.

The good news in this case is that it's highly treatable. Orion is still covered by his father's (admittedly very good) medical insurance, and he's currently a patient at City of Hope. The bad news is that neither Marilynn or Orion will be receiving much help from his father for day-to-day bills and expenses.

Those of you who know Marilynn socially, or have not seen Orion since he was a boy, may not know that Orion has trouble with executive function and attention to detail. As such, he does not self-advocate well and needs Marilynn to accompany him to his appointments, of which there are many. Because of this and her own medical issues, she needs our help.

There are some medical costs still to be incurred, as well as those related to caregiving expenses and job loss. There's still a mortgage to pay, a house to heat, gas for the car, and so on. We're aware that other forms of help are available --and believe me, we're working on finding and applying for them!-- but it would be a blessing to have a soft landing. To not dance on the edge of foreclosure or hunger before any other benefit programs can kick in.

If you know either of us personally, and have perhaps more time or expertise than money, we could definitely use help wading through the seemingly endless sea of medical forms, or help to find and apply for other types of aid available to cancer patients, their caregivers, and their families.

Marilynn's been there for a lot of people in their time of need, myself included, and if she's helped you, or touched your life in some small way, we'd appreciate it very much if you can return her kindness as best you can. Thank you. <3