Help Jerry kick cancer's butt!
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Dear Friends and Friends of Friends,
I am reaching out to you because I need your kind help! To begin, please allow me to tell you a story about my good friend, Jerry Anthony, who now lives in Medford Maine. I first met him when he was in high school in the late 70’s/early 80’s when he would stop by after school with his girlfriend, Lori (now wife), to visit my coworker. They were a cute couple, and as they got into their twenties, and married, we remained good friends, keeping in touch through all the passing years. Fast forward to March 2017, life took a turn for Jerry. He had worked for a good company for 15 years. It was a very nice job, with decent pay and benefits, including health insurance. However, unfortunately and unexpectedly, the company went out of business, which ultimately cost Jerry his job. During the following five months, while he searched for a new job and affordable health insurance, Jerry began experiencing some health issues, especially concerning his back. In June, Jerry fell while working in the yard, and he was unable to get up by himself. Doctors treated him after doing x-rays, and later CT Scans, by prescribing muscle relaxers, sending him to physical therapy sessions, and getting Jerry to first use a cane for stabilization, followed by a walker. Progressively, things continued to worsen, and by August, he was unable to even walk. It was decided a MRI of his spine was needed, and results indicated he had a mass on his spinal cord, causing him to not be able to move his legs. The good news was surgery to remove the tumor did make it possible for him to move his legs again and walk, but the bad news was the biopsy of the tumor determined he had Multiple Myeloma cancer. For the past year, Jerry has had many doctor appointments and hospital visits. He had 12 back to back cycles of radiation, Chemotherapy (starting in pill form, but switching to chemo infusions this past May), and twenty-four daily medications. In addition, he is currently receiving an immune booster injection twice a week.
As you can imagine, all this has taken a financial toll on Jerry and his wife, Lori Gail. It took them eight months of red tape to finally get disability approval and health insurance for him. In the mean time, the bills had been outrageous, costing them their life savings. Before his disability insurance was approved, Lori even gave up her own medications in order to be able to pay for his meds. To try and get them some help, I have set up a Go Fund Me account on behalf of Jerry Anthony, which I will explain to you below.
Before moving on, however, I would like to interject here that Jerry and his wife, Lori, are wonderful people. For example, when their own two kids were 12 and 9, the family decided to adopt four young children: two little girls and two little boys, ages 10, 9, 6, and 5. Since the children were siblings, it was Lori’s and Jerry’s hearts’ desire to provide them a loving and stable home, plus they wanted the children to have the opportunity to stay together rather than be placed in separate foster homes. Today, all of the children are out on their own as grown young adults, contributing positively to society. As another side note, Lori just received a letter stating she has been selected as the 2018 Medford, Maine Spirit of America award winner for her commendable community service!
To explain further about Jerry’s situation, while treatment is essential in fighting his Multiple Myeloma cancer, I am sure you must understand it will be a lengthy and difficult process, as well as a financially challenging time for Jerry and Lori Gail. Very soon, he will enter a cancer center in Boston, MA, where he will be isolated for a month long, complicated stem cell transplant procedure. Of course, once he is home, Jerry will still face continued isolation, medications, and numerous followup care appointments with his specialists in Boston.
Also, if you would, PLEASE forward this to your social media friends/contacts so they might help, too! Thank you in advance for your kind help, thoughts, prayers, and generous gifts.
Gratefully yours,
Shirley (Morrison)
I am reaching out to you because I need your kind help! To begin, please allow me to tell you a story about my good friend, Jerry Anthony, who now lives in Medford Maine. I first met him when he was in high school in the late 70’s/early 80’s when he would stop by after school with his girlfriend, Lori (now wife), to visit my coworker. They were a cute couple, and as they got into their twenties, and married, we remained good friends, keeping in touch through all the passing years. Fast forward to March 2017, life took a turn for Jerry. He had worked for a good company for 15 years. It was a very nice job, with decent pay and benefits, including health insurance. However, unfortunately and unexpectedly, the company went out of business, which ultimately cost Jerry his job. During the following five months, while he searched for a new job and affordable health insurance, Jerry began experiencing some health issues, especially concerning his back. In June, Jerry fell while working in the yard, and he was unable to get up by himself. Doctors treated him after doing x-rays, and later CT Scans, by prescribing muscle relaxers, sending him to physical therapy sessions, and getting Jerry to first use a cane for stabilization, followed by a walker. Progressively, things continued to worsen, and by August, he was unable to even walk. It was decided a MRI of his spine was needed, and results indicated he had a mass on his spinal cord, causing him to not be able to move his legs. The good news was surgery to remove the tumor did make it possible for him to move his legs again and walk, but the bad news was the biopsy of the tumor determined he had Multiple Myeloma cancer. For the past year, Jerry has had many doctor appointments and hospital visits. He had 12 back to back cycles of radiation, Chemotherapy (starting in pill form, but switching to chemo infusions this past May), and twenty-four daily medications. In addition, he is currently receiving an immune booster injection twice a week.
As you can imagine, all this has taken a financial toll on Jerry and his wife, Lori Gail. It took them eight months of red tape to finally get disability approval and health insurance for him. In the mean time, the bills had been outrageous, costing them their life savings. Before his disability insurance was approved, Lori even gave up her own medications in order to be able to pay for his meds. To try and get them some help, I have set up a Go Fund Me account on behalf of Jerry Anthony, which I will explain to you below.
Before moving on, however, I would like to interject here that Jerry and his wife, Lori, are wonderful people. For example, when their own two kids were 12 and 9, the family decided to adopt four young children: two little girls and two little boys, ages 10, 9, 6, and 5. Since the children were siblings, it was Lori’s and Jerry’s hearts’ desire to provide them a loving and stable home, plus they wanted the children to have the opportunity to stay together rather than be placed in separate foster homes. Today, all of the children are out on their own as grown young adults, contributing positively to society. As another side note, Lori just received a letter stating she has been selected as the 2018 Medford, Maine Spirit of America award winner for her commendable community service!
To explain further about Jerry’s situation, while treatment is essential in fighting his Multiple Myeloma cancer, I am sure you must understand it will be a lengthy and difficult process, as well as a financially challenging time for Jerry and Lori Gail. Very soon, he will enter a cancer center in Boston, MA, where he will be isolated for a month long, complicated stem cell transplant procedure. Of course, once he is home, Jerry will still face continued isolation, medications, and numerous followup care appointments with his specialists in Boston.
Also, if you would, PLEASE forward this to your social media friends/contacts so they might help, too! Thank you in advance for your kind help, thoughts, prayers, and generous gifts.
Gratefully yours,
Shirley (Morrison)
Organizer and beneficiary
Shirley Morrison
Organizer
Laurel, VA
Lori Anthony
Beneficiary
