Hi, my name is Dena Rios and I am fundraising for my best friend, Jessica Van Nest. She received frightening news that she has Thyroid Cancer and needs to have surgery this month. Her medical bills have already begun to pile up quickly along with her upcoming surgery and overnight stays at Sloane Kettering in NYC.

Jess has been an occupational therapist for 20 years and has been an OT at Ocean Road School in Point Pleasant for 9 years. She is however, a private contractor and is not employed directly through the district. With this being said, she is not eligible unpaid medical leave, FMLA, short Or long term disability. Therefore, anytime she needs to take off for surgery and/or recovery, it

is all unpaid.

Jess has medical insurance through her husband for the family, however, nothing will be covered until their high deductible is met. All of her medical bills will have to be paid in order to reach her deductible.

Jess is not one to ask anyone for anything but she is the first one to help anyone in need. I want nothing more than to raise $15k to pay her insurance deductible, so she doesn’t need to worry about her bills and can focus on her recovery.

If you could support my GoFundMe by making a donation and then sharing it with your network, I would greatly appreciate it. No amount is too small.

All funds raised will go directly to Jessica’s surgery and medical costs.

Thank you so much,

Dena Rios