Helping Roger Who Has Helped So Many

Hello. We are fund raising for Roger Nkembe, my friend and colleague at work, who needs our help. Why help? Well, Roger is a one-of-a-kind person who is always seeing the positive in everyone and every circumstance. Ive seen Roger do this consistently since I met him over five years ago. No matter the circumstances, be they good or bad, he NEVER complains, but accepts them fully, thanks God for them, and looks for a way to bring something good or better out of them. Always!

 

At work, Roger is an Inspector at construction projects, and he ALWAYS excels at this work, looking for creative ways to address problems, communicating very effectively, and keeping a sharp eye out for construction safety issues which might endanger any worker on the jobsite. Last year, our company Gannett Fleming awarded Roger with the 2020 Presidential Safety Award, and Roger is by far one of the most proactive employees we have in looking for Safety Near Misses, which are situations that could end up in a safety accident but haven't yet. As Roger often tells the personnel at the construction jobsites, "Im your best friend here, you just dont always know it!"

 

Unbeknown to many people, Roger has been fighting cancer for a number of years. He was able to keep the cancer at bay with the help of his medical team until this summer 2021 when Roger started experiencing more intense pain. On one particular weekend this summer, the pain was so bad Roger had to go to the ER. After diagnostic tests, it was determined Roger’s metastatic prostate cancer had spread into his bones, spine, upper legs and hips. Roger underwent surgery on his back and spine at Johns Hopkins to relieve swelling and extremely intense pain. I remember Roger telling me on the phone afterwards the pain was, on a scale of 1 to 10, a 15. I can't imagine. God bless him.

 

After being hospitalized the last three months, Roger came home the first week of October and is undergoing physical therapy and rehabilitation to learn how to walk all over again. As Roger puts it, “only God knows how long it will take before I can resume my normal duties”. For taking care of the monetary needs of his wife and family, Roger first used up all his vacation and sick leave time; then Gannett Fleming was able to provide Roger several weeks of pay via a donated pool of funds for emergency situations. At this juncture, Roger is not receiving any money from work, and is in need of help. What are his needs? As Roger puts it “I need help in order to pay my bills and to support my family, and also for the costly medications that will not be paid for by insurance”. When does he need the help? Roger says “ASAP , since I am already out of salary”. Lastly, what would your help mean to Roger? “It means the world to me and my family. It will be so much appreciated.”

 

Given who Roger is, and given his medical condition and deep financial needs, our goal for Roger and his family is $25,000. Even that large amount might not be enough, so hopefully we can blow past that. I know Roger would greatly welcome and truly appreciate your kind thoughts and prayers. Looks like it is up to us! Thank you very much for your time and help!!
Don Miller