Kristin Will Not Be Forgotten. Small Ways To Help

Kristin was one of the most caring people in the world. Truly her compassion for nice people who needed help was beyond compare. The best parts of Kristin will never be forgotten.

 

She made the following Facebook post back in early November, and it seems appropriate to read it again:

 

"My journey into retirement has looked different than I expected. Initially, my goal was to immediately begin directly helping people stricken by cancer. The night before I was to venture to my first cancer center in Detroit, I struggled very hard emotionally and had to accept that my journey with grief and my relationship with cancer was still incredibly raw and I truly am not sure when I will begin the proper healing process from losing my mom this year. That night, I cried, I felt shame and I felt like such a failure when I called to remove my name from their schedule, but I accepted that I couldn’t help others if I hadn’t helped myself to heal yet. I honestly don’t know when that will be as I still struggle hard missing my mom, as well as my dad and sister. The holidays this year will be interesting.

 

HOWEVER, I do want to help others SOMEHOW because I am so lucky to have my health and the time to give. Today I did my first run as a Meals-On-Wheels driver for senior citizens in Oxford. It was a beautiful and rewarding morning and I met some of the most gracious and lovely humans around.

 

Though it was not what I thought I would be doing at this time, I know that will come when my head and heart are ready. Until then, I will find other small ways to still help, even if I have yet to set foot inside the world of cancer again quite yet.

 

And admittedly, I have really enjoyed being “just a mom” and spending more time with my grandma. And if you know of anyone needing immediate assistance in the area, please let me know!!"

 

 

 

Unfortunately Kristin never found a way to begin that healing from the loss of her parents and sister all to cancer. She had continued to do her “Meals” volunteering, and through her time with her Meals-On-Wheels “peeps,” as she called them, she met a sweet older couple. She learned they had recently been taken advantage of by a hedge trimmer who tried to charge them $800 for 20 minutes of work. She was furious and immediately set out to get the scammer blacklisted in the area. But through her anger she also offered to help the couple with their yard work. Over the past month or so she has spent at least 40 hours total in their yard 1-3 times per week. I went over there a couple times to help too and was immediately put to work as “the handyman.” Kristin shined when she was helping people. And the couple shined as their once beautiful gardens were being brought back to life...and she was just getting started.

 

When Kristin retired our hope was to eventually start a non-profit to help people with cancer. Our goal was to give some people money who needed it, to give others rides to appointments, to do shopping or errands for those who could not get out, or possibly even do some yard work ; ) We have been saving money towards that goal over the past year, and it has been going well. I am renewed in my determination to make our dream a reality. But instead of just aiming to help people in need with cancer, after seeing Kristin so alive and happy from helping her new elderly friends this past month, we will be aiming to help anyone in need to help Kristin’s memory live on.

 

Many people have been graciously asking what they can do to help. So if you would like to help Kristin’s big heart continue, please consider adding to our fund to start the non-profit. The name is still in the works and might change, but at this point it is called, “Small Ways To Help” taking Kristin’s own words in her post from last November. 

GoFundMe requested that I include some additional information in this request for donations: The individual requesting these funds is Michael McDonough, and I am Kristin's husband. I am also the intended recipient of these funds. Kristin and I have been saving to start the non-profit in a personal bank account. Eventually when we have adequate funds the plan is to transfer the money to an account in the non-profit's name. As stated above, the funds will be used to directly help people in need. Some people will receive money directly, some people will receive aid in the form of services like shopping, transportation, housework, and possibly other forms of help. 

I tried to leave the goal blank when I set up the GoFundMe. I really didn't know what to enter as a goal. The initial $11,000.00 goal was arrived at because 11 was Kristin's favorite number and it just came to mind. Donations started rolling in quickly though, so I increased the goal.

 

Thank you for thinking of Kristin and our family