Lisa Jones and I have been friends for over thirty-five years. Since I’ve known her, Lisa has been caring for a friend or family member: a mother with dementia, an elderly neighbor living alone, a sister with leukemia, a brother dying from emphysema, a friend with AIDS, an elderly and incontinent great-aunt (with an elderly, incontinent dog!), all the while maintaining a career in software development and program management. I know that more than once Lisa cashed in a retirement plan to help a family member.

In most families someone is known as the responsible one. That is Lisa. And now Lisa is the one who needs help. She has breast cancer. Like many of us, Lisa lives on social security with little savings and was about to start work as a paid home health aide to supplement her income when she was diagnosed. Work has been on hold during cancer treatment. Lisa is now at risk of losing her apartment and is carrying the burden of a large medical debt.

Please join me in giving what you can to help my friend keep a roof over her head until she gets back on her feet. Thank you, Stephanie