Jean Epperson - Don’t Stop Believin’
Donation protected
Jean Epperson - Don’t Stop Believin’ - GoFundMe
In an effort to support Jean Epperson, our very special and long time friend, I have set up this GoFundMe account to give you the opportunity to bless Jean in her time of need. As you read this abbreviated story of her life, please consider how you might encourage and support her financially in the days, weeks and months to come as she continues to live life with malignant, cancerous brain tumors, referred to as Glioblastoma.
Jean’s life story is not over, it’s not complete, and we are hoping and praying that God will use each of us, her former colleagues, her longtime and recent friends and her loving family, to help make the remainder of Jean’s life a little more comfortable and worry free.
Jean Epperson - a wonderful example of dedication and commitment to the cause . . . .
Whatever cause or job Jean Epperson has taken on in her 69+ years of life, she has done so with her whole heart and soul. I first met Jean approximately 36 years ago at the old Northern Kentucky Racquet Club, when she came in to play racquetball. Little did I know at the time, that she would become one of my best friends in the work place and for a period of time outside the workplace.
From the time Kevin Molony hired Jean in 1988 as Four Season’s Racquetball Director and Control Desk Manager, she was a solid performer, a rock for Four Seasons.
No one in Greater Cincinnati ran a Racquetball Program or Tournament, better than Jean Epperson. To the most minute detail, Jean was the consummate pro. Those under her leadership were always prepared because Jean was always prepared. She spent countless hours at Four Seasons from 1988 to 2004.
From there, Jean went to Commonwealth Orthopedic as their office manager and from all accounts, she was a rock, a solid performer for them, as well.
After 7 years, she left and went home to Pennsylvania to spend precious time with her aging parents. While there, from 2012 - 2015, Jean worked doing what her original calling in life was, nursing. She not only worked professionally as a nurse at Paramount Senior Living Center, but she also was the primary caregiver for her parents.
Jean cared for both of them until her father passed away in 2013 and her mother in 2015. In 2016, she took on another position as the primary caregiver for a senior citizen who had life altering health issues.
On Jean’s return back to N.Ky. in 2017 and up until September of 2019, she worked at Emerald Trace and Madonna Manor, as an overnight Nurse/Caregiver.
In all of Jean’s different working and serving opportunities throughout the years, she has always been more concerned about those she worked with, than herself. The same can be said about how she approached her family. Jean always sacrificed her own needs for the needs of her family. Some might rightfully say, “that is what mothers do,” and as much as that generally rings true, Jean provided for her family over and over tirelessly, many times to their benefit, sacrificing her own comfort and provisions.
Today, her two sons, Chad & Scott, and her two granddaughters, indeed, rise up and call her Blessed.
Jean's Life Has Changed Forever
Over the years, other than an occasional trip to an orthopedic doctor due to the aches and pains from her early days as a volleyball and racquetball player, Jean remained relatively healthy, but that came to a sudden and crashing halt in September of last year.
On September 9, 2019, during her regular night shift, while on the computer doing her patient reports, Jean experienced something she never had before. She felt a strange sensation that traveled down her right arm. It was odd, but nothing painful. She thought little of it until the same thing happened the next couple of nights with the sensation moving down to her leg. Believing this wasn’t normal, she sought medical attention and scheduled an MRI to be done as soon as possible. That’s when Jean’s life as she knew it, changed forever.
The MRI revealed two brain tumors. These weren’t just any brain tumors, but they were malignant cancerous tumors referred to as Glioblastoma, and are the kind that don’t go away easily, if at all. At the end of September, Jean started radiation and chemo therapy in an attempt to shrink the tumors.
After 6 weeks of aggressive treatments and another MRI, Jean was told that a third tumor had started to grow. Chemo continued for the next 6 months. Although the news was not good, being the trooper Jean is, she remained as active as possible, doing her best to manage the fatigue that comes with cancer and chemo therapy.
At the beginning of April 2020, Jean began feeling more things in her body that she had never experienced. Her body and her ability to move about started to quickly decline. She had another MRI scheduled at the end of April to see how the chemo was working, but decided to move it up a week. A day before her MRI, Jean woke up with her right hand drawn up and practically unusable. She went for her third MRI the next day and the results came back worse than the second MRI. It revealed that the largest existing tumor had more than doubled in size. Devastating to Jean, to say the least. In the next few days, she progressively lost more function on her right side and today, Jean cannot do anything with her right hand, arm or leg.
Jean Today
As Jean now lives alone, fortunately, her sister, Susan, was able to come in from Arkansas to help Jean with her daily needs. Jean’s speech has weakened to the point that she has trouble speaking what is on her mind. As of 4/21/20 Jean can stand with assistance but needs help moving about. She still has a pretty clear mind, but again, at times, struggles with finding the words for her thoughts, which is very frustrating for her. Though all of this is very difficult, and there are many down moments, Jean has managed to maintain her sense of humor.
What's Next For Jean
Lord willing, Jean will turn 70 years old next December 5. After living in her current house for the past 22 years, due to financial challenges, it looks as if Jean will have to give it up, which means most of her belongings will have to go, as well. She will initially move in with her son, Chad, for a short period of time, and then, eventually, into a care facility.
Jean's Future Needs
Jean’s overall long term physical condition, along with the medical equipment or devices that will help her function daily, are yet to be fully defined. That unknown and along with her current financial situation is indeed very concerning and scary for her.
Some smaller equipment and devices have already been secured for Jean but the probability of much more is great. The following is a partial list of what will be needed in the near and distant future. Some of it will be covered by insurance, but a lot of it will be out of pocket.
Transfer Tub Bench - Hemi Walker - Reacher - Gait Belt = $175
House Cleaning = to date $400
Hospital Bed - Small Base Quad Cane
Bedside Commode - Incontinence Supplies
Communication Board = totaling approximately = $6,500
Wheelchair = $400+
Lift Chair = $1,000 +
Medicines = $$$$ Unknown
In Home Care or Nursing Care Center = $$$$ Unknown
Funeral and Memorial Expenses = Jean has some life insurance that will cover a small portion = $$$$ Unknown
If by chance, you have access to any of this needed equipment or can obtain it at a most reasonable cost, please Personal Message me, Jeff Barbour, on Facebook.
Jean's Prognosis
Sadly, the doctors have told Jean there is no known cure for this type of cancer. At this point, the only treatment they can give her is an infusion of high powered steroids to help relieve the inflammation and hopefully restore some of the function she has lost.
Jean is taking life a day at a time. The unknown is scary for her but she has a strong faith in God and believes He will give her the strength she needs to live and smile another day.
Part of Jean’s calling in life is that of a caregiver. She has been that her entire adult life. What a blessing she has been for so many people who have needed just what she was capable and willing to give, a lot of times when they were most vulnerable and she was stretched thin.
Jean has always been the rock, the provider for her family. Even after her divorce twenty some years ago, she maintained contact with her mother-in-law and became her consistent care provider until her death. Jean has always been there for her boys and their families; opening her house when there was a need. She move home to Pennsylvania to oversee the care of her mom and dad and to bless them in their last few years.
Simply put, God has used Jean Epperson to bless others, being an instrument of joy, peace and comfort to so many over the years.
I know Jean would appreciate cards or notes of encouragement during this time. Won't you bless her during her time of struggle?
If you want to write to her, please Personal Message me, and I will give you the best address to send something, or you can simply Personal Message Jean Epperson on FB.
Feel free to share this information with whomever you believe would appreciate knowing, as well as letting them know of the
Jean Epperson, Don’t Stop Believin’ GoFundMe Account
Sharing it on your Facebook timeline is a great way to spread the word to others, giving them the opportunity to be a part of blessing Jean.
Again, the name of the account is: Jean Epperson, Don’t Stop Believin’
Please join me as we pray for our dear friend. Pray for God’s peace, comfort and strength as Jean deals with this ugly disease we call cancer. Pray for her family as they learn and understand more daily what their part is as Jean’s caregivers. Pray that the decisions that lie ahead are easily made and burden free. Lastly, as Jean’s friend, pray for clarity on how you might be a blessing to her and what might be your part in helping her live out her life with dignity and in peace.
I personally Praise God for Jean Epperson and what she has meant to me and my family over the years, especially during our days together at Four Seasons. Jean made me a better person just by being around her. She showed me what it means to be a loving, caring person, to those who need it the most. She was and still is a great example of who a dedicated, hard working, team player is.
I love you, Jean Epperson, as a sister and I Thank God for having our paths cross.
Jeff Barbour
jb
In an effort to support Jean Epperson, our very special and long time friend, I have set up this GoFundMe account to give you the opportunity to bless Jean in her time of need. As you read this abbreviated story of her life, please consider how you might encourage and support her financially in the days, weeks and months to come as she continues to live life with malignant, cancerous brain tumors, referred to as Glioblastoma.
Jean’s life story is not over, it’s not complete, and we are hoping and praying that God will use each of us, her former colleagues, her longtime and recent friends and her loving family, to help make the remainder of Jean’s life a little more comfortable and worry free.
Jean Epperson - a wonderful example of dedication and commitment to the cause . . . .
Whatever cause or job Jean Epperson has taken on in her 69+ years of life, she has done so with her whole heart and soul. I first met Jean approximately 36 years ago at the old Northern Kentucky Racquet Club, when she came in to play racquetball. Little did I know at the time, that she would become one of my best friends in the work place and for a period of time outside the workplace.
From the time Kevin Molony hired Jean in 1988 as Four Season’s Racquetball Director and Control Desk Manager, she was a solid performer, a rock for Four Seasons.
No one in Greater Cincinnati ran a Racquetball Program or Tournament, better than Jean Epperson. To the most minute detail, Jean was the consummate pro. Those under her leadership were always prepared because Jean was always prepared. She spent countless hours at Four Seasons from 1988 to 2004.
From there, Jean went to Commonwealth Orthopedic as their office manager and from all accounts, she was a rock, a solid performer for them, as well.
After 7 years, she left and went home to Pennsylvania to spend precious time with her aging parents. While there, from 2012 - 2015, Jean worked doing what her original calling in life was, nursing. She not only worked professionally as a nurse at Paramount Senior Living Center, but she also was the primary caregiver for her parents.
Jean cared for both of them until her father passed away in 2013 and her mother in 2015. In 2016, she took on another position as the primary caregiver for a senior citizen who had life altering health issues.
On Jean’s return back to N.Ky. in 2017 and up until September of 2019, she worked at Emerald Trace and Madonna Manor, as an overnight Nurse/Caregiver.
In all of Jean’s different working and serving opportunities throughout the years, she has always been more concerned about those she worked with, than herself. The same can be said about how she approached her family. Jean always sacrificed her own needs for the needs of her family. Some might rightfully say, “that is what mothers do,” and as much as that generally rings true, Jean provided for her family over and over tirelessly, many times to their benefit, sacrificing her own comfort and provisions.
Today, her two sons, Chad & Scott, and her two granddaughters, indeed, rise up and call her Blessed.
Jean's Life Has Changed Forever
Over the years, other than an occasional trip to an orthopedic doctor due to the aches and pains from her early days as a volleyball and racquetball player, Jean remained relatively healthy, but that came to a sudden and crashing halt in September of last year.
On September 9, 2019, during her regular night shift, while on the computer doing her patient reports, Jean experienced something she never had before. She felt a strange sensation that traveled down her right arm. It was odd, but nothing painful. She thought little of it until the same thing happened the next couple of nights with the sensation moving down to her leg. Believing this wasn’t normal, she sought medical attention and scheduled an MRI to be done as soon as possible. That’s when Jean’s life as she knew it, changed forever.
The MRI revealed two brain tumors. These weren’t just any brain tumors, but they were malignant cancerous tumors referred to as Glioblastoma, and are the kind that don’t go away easily, if at all. At the end of September, Jean started radiation and chemo therapy in an attempt to shrink the tumors.
After 6 weeks of aggressive treatments and another MRI, Jean was told that a third tumor had started to grow. Chemo continued for the next 6 months. Although the news was not good, being the trooper Jean is, she remained as active as possible, doing her best to manage the fatigue that comes with cancer and chemo therapy.
At the beginning of April 2020, Jean began feeling more things in her body that she had never experienced. Her body and her ability to move about started to quickly decline. She had another MRI scheduled at the end of April to see how the chemo was working, but decided to move it up a week. A day before her MRI, Jean woke up with her right hand drawn up and practically unusable. She went for her third MRI the next day and the results came back worse than the second MRI. It revealed that the largest existing tumor had more than doubled in size. Devastating to Jean, to say the least. In the next few days, she progressively lost more function on her right side and today, Jean cannot do anything with her right hand, arm or leg.
Jean Today
As Jean now lives alone, fortunately, her sister, Susan, was able to come in from Arkansas to help Jean with her daily needs. Jean’s speech has weakened to the point that she has trouble speaking what is on her mind. As of 4/21/20 Jean can stand with assistance but needs help moving about. She still has a pretty clear mind, but again, at times, struggles with finding the words for her thoughts, which is very frustrating for her. Though all of this is very difficult, and there are many down moments, Jean has managed to maintain her sense of humor.
What's Next For Jean
Lord willing, Jean will turn 70 years old next December 5. After living in her current house for the past 22 years, due to financial challenges, it looks as if Jean will have to give it up, which means most of her belongings will have to go, as well. She will initially move in with her son, Chad, for a short period of time, and then, eventually, into a care facility.
Jean's Future Needs
Jean’s overall long term physical condition, along with the medical equipment or devices that will help her function daily, are yet to be fully defined. That unknown and along with her current financial situation is indeed very concerning and scary for her.
Some smaller equipment and devices have already been secured for Jean but the probability of much more is great. The following is a partial list of what will be needed in the near and distant future. Some of it will be covered by insurance, but a lot of it will be out of pocket.
Transfer Tub Bench - Hemi Walker - Reacher - Gait Belt = $175
House Cleaning = to date $400
Hospital Bed - Small Base Quad Cane
Bedside Commode - Incontinence Supplies
Communication Board = totaling approximately = $6,500
Wheelchair = $400+
Lift Chair = $1,000 +
Medicines = $$$$ Unknown
In Home Care or Nursing Care Center = $$$$ Unknown
Funeral and Memorial Expenses = Jean has some life insurance that will cover a small portion = $$$$ Unknown
If by chance, you have access to any of this needed equipment or can obtain it at a most reasonable cost, please Personal Message me, Jeff Barbour, on Facebook.
Jean's Prognosis
Sadly, the doctors have told Jean there is no known cure for this type of cancer. At this point, the only treatment they can give her is an infusion of high powered steroids to help relieve the inflammation and hopefully restore some of the function she has lost.
Jean is taking life a day at a time. The unknown is scary for her but she has a strong faith in God and believes He will give her the strength she needs to live and smile another day.
Part of Jean’s calling in life is that of a caregiver. She has been that her entire adult life. What a blessing she has been for so many people who have needed just what she was capable and willing to give, a lot of times when they were most vulnerable and she was stretched thin.
Jean has always been the rock, the provider for her family. Even after her divorce twenty some years ago, she maintained contact with her mother-in-law and became her consistent care provider until her death. Jean has always been there for her boys and their families; opening her house when there was a need. She move home to Pennsylvania to oversee the care of her mom and dad and to bless them in their last few years.
Simply put, God has used Jean Epperson to bless others, being an instrument of joy, peace and comfort to so many over the years.
I know Jean would appreciate cards or notes of encouragement during this time. Won't you bless her during her time of struggle?
If you want to write to her, please Personal Message me, and I will give you the best address to send something, or you can simply Personal Message Jean Epperson on FB.
Feel free to share this information with whomever you believe would appreciate knowing, as well as letting them know of the
Jean Epperson, Don’t Stop Believin’ GoFundMe Account
Sharing it on your Facebook timeline is a great way to spread the word to others, giving them the opportunity to be a part of blessing Jean.
Again, the name of the account is: Jean Epperson, Don’t Stop Believin’
Please join me as we pray for our dear friend. Pray for God’s peace, comfort and strength as Jean deals with this ugly disease we call cancer. Pray for her family as they learn and understand more daily what their part is as Jean’s caregivers. Pray that the decisions that lie ahead are easily made and burden free. Lastly, as Jean’s friend, pray for clarity on how you might be a blessing to her and what might be your part in helping her live out her life with dignity and in peace.
I personally Praise God for Jean Epperson and what she has meant to me and my family over the years, especially during our days together at Four Seasons. Jean made me a better person just by being around her. She showed me what it means to be a loving, caring person, to those who need it the most. She was and still is a great example of who a dedicated, hard working, team player is.
I love you, Jean Epperson, as a sister and I Thank God for having our paths cross.
Jeff Barbour
jb
Organizer
Jeff Barbour
Organizer
Florence, KY