Lend a hand to T

I met my dear friend Teresa Rousseau about 25 years ago during a retreat at Camp Friendship while taking CCD classes at St.Alphonsus.  Teresa was, in my opinion, the only cool adult leader at the whole camp.  I immediately connected with her, trusted her and considered her my friend.  To this day I have so much love and respect for this fabulous woman.

I know I could go on and on about all the wonderful things about her and how much she means to my family but I imagine many of you who are reading this could as well.  If you are reading this and do not know Teresa, you are missing out on an amazing friendship! 

Teresa has dedicated her life to helping others.  Whether it has been through her 20+ years in youth ministry, her friendships, or even with complete strangers, Teresa has always given anything and everything she has without ever expecting anything in return – it is just her nature.

Over the past few years she has fallen upon some tough times and could really use our help.  Teresa was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2003.  It was being managed well for several years but recently it has taken a toll on her body.  A few weeks ago, new members of her care team discovered she has a cyst on her lower back which is greatly impeding her mobility.  Because of this daily tasks such as grocery shopping, going to and from work, and even walking up the stairs to her home are very tiring and at the end of a day near impossible. This cyst is going to require surgery in the near future.

Adding to this physical stress is the financial burden.  A little over a year ago, Teresa’s position at the church was eliminated leaving her unemployed with little unemployment income and many medical bills.  Additionally, her home is now requiring several modifications to make it accessible for her to live in safely.  Items like a chair lift for the stairwell (as she lives in a second story condo), a low pile carpet, and repairs/alterations to her bathrooms are just a few things needed to make her home a safe place for her.

I am asking you my friends, family, friends of friends, family of friends and complete strangers to consider helping my dear friend in her time of need.  Specifically, I am looking for people to help financially with a donation to this GoFundMe campaign and most importantly prayers for her health and upcoming surgery. 

Below is a list of immediate needs:
-          Chair lift for stairwell
-          Bathroom accessibility updates
-          Low pile carpet
-          Car hitch and carrier for scooter
-          Medical Bill Assistance
-          General home repairs