Let’s Rally! Michele Casey & Hubby Dave Need Us!
Donation protected
Dear Family & Friends,
In December of 2016 our dear friend Michele Casey was diagnosed with two noncurative illnesses--Myelofibrosis, an incredibly rare form of bone marrow cancer coupled with Budd Chiari Syndrome, a rare disorder of the liver. Despite intensive treatment over the past five years, she has not been able to return to the life and work she once knew, and with hospital stays increasing over the past 11 months, both in frequency and duration, she has made the difficult decision to forego further treatment and receive hospice care. All this time, her devoted hubby Dave O'Neil has had to work double-time to keep them afloat physically and financially--providing elder companion care full time in the community and caring for Michele in his free time at home.
To help Dave avoid caregiver burnout and provide the most attentive and loving care possible for Michele in her remaining months and days, he needs respite from the stress of full time work in the care-giving field. Being able to reduce his workload to part time--to take days off during the week, or around weekends will allow Michele and Dave to have some crucial quality time together at a time when she needs him the most. Your donations will supplement their income and help Dave focus more time and energy on Michele. Your generous giving will directly support Michele, who is in need of a walk-in shower remodel to provide a safe bathing environment at home, a small transportation (Uber) budget and pain-relieving therapies not covered by insurance. It would greatly ease Michele's mind to know that memorial/funerary expenses are taken care of--and your donation will help with that too.
While this incredible soul is still with us--reach out by leaving comments with your donation! Tell Michele how much she means to you, and let her know how she has impacted your life. Shower her with affirmations and remind her of all of the fun, spirited, magical adventures you've shared. Let Dave know how supported he is on this journey.
Thank you in advance for your time and generous gifts!
Genevieve, Dave, Michele
READ MORE:
To know Michele Casey is to know a vibrant woman who shares her enthusiasm, love and authenticity with everyone she meets. She has spent twenty years both as a dedicated medical massage therapist and a passionate percussionist of traditional West African music. Michele is a gifted healer, musician, teacher and friend to many. She has dedicated her life to supporting community wellbeing, both in her hometown of Boise, Idaho--as well as her home of eight years in Raleigh, North Carolina. And now she needs our help!
In winter of 2016 she was diagnosed with two progressive terminal illnesses--Myelofibrosis, an incredibly rare form of bone marrow cancer coupled with Budd Chiari Syndrome, a rare disorder of the liver. During her admittance to the hospital at Duke University, there was a spark of hope that within six months she could return to practicing medical massage and studying West African percussion with the large and welcoming community she and Dave had found in their new home of North Carolina in 2013.
Her dream to return to the work and play she loved, however, never manifested again. Michele has had to give up driving, taking with it her freedom to come and go as she would like. She has had to let go of her massage practice, put down her djembe and face the loneliness that inevitably arises when a person with terminal illness can no longer participate as an active, happy and visible part of community life.
Prior to her diagnosis, time spent throughout the US and Europe studying with djembe masters and the rhythm traditions of West Africa was a complete honor and an absolute joy in her life. The wisdom and authentic love they imbued could light up an entire room! They shared not only music, but also demonstrated how to draw a community close together with love and happy energy. Losing a connection to her passionate dance and music family is one of the more difficult losses she’s had to face.
Our friend Michele lives a life of service, and I would imagine many of you reading this have benefitted from her giving nature and flourished in her care as a compassionate friend, gifted healer and teacher. After her diagnosis, she went from having a vibrant, sustaining career to living on Social Security Disability. For the last five years, Michele and her husband Dave have been very resourceful and done their best to manage the great rolling costs of living with terminal illness. Michele has often mentioned to me that the longer she has cancer, the more expensive it becomes. She currently takes over 18 medications and nutritive supplements, and has needed expensive trips to the dentist in recent years to mitigate the damaging effects of chemo. This past winter Dave purchased a used electric stair chair to transport her up and down the stairs at home, to give them both some peace of mind during the 45 to 47 hours a week Michele was alone in their home.
With precarious health conditions advancing and hospital stays increasing over the past eleven months (both in frequency and duration), Michele has made the difficult decision to forego further treatment and go on hospice. At present, Michele is in decline and we don’t know how much time she has left with us. Dave and Michele knew that hospice was going to be part of their experience at some point, and that point is now. Up until this time, her devoted hubby Dave O'Neil has worked double-time to keep them afloat physically and financially--providing elder companion care full time in the community and caring for Michele in his free time at home.
To help Dave avoid caregiver burnout and provide the most attentive and loving care possible for Michele in her remaining months and days, he needs respite from the stress of financial demands and the rigors of full time work in the care-giving field. Being able to reduce his workload to part time--to take days off during the week, or around weekends will allow Michele and Dave to have some crucial quality time together at a time when she needs him the most. Your donations will supplement their income and help Dave focus more time and energy solely on Michele. Your generous giving will directly support Michele, who is in need of a walk-in shower remodel to provide a safe bathing environment at home, a small transportation (Uber) budget, and beneficial pain-relieving therapies not covered by insurance, like lymphedema drainage massage, acupuncture & chiropractic visits. It would greatly ease Michele's mind to know that memorial/funerary expenses are taken care of--and your donation will help with that too.
So why not work together as a community to relieve some of their financial burden in this tender time? To help alleviate stress and provide relief to both Michele and Dave in this final chapter of her life? To collectively show our appreciation and gratitude for all the ways she’s touched our individual hearts and lives, while she is still with us? Any amount of financial support will make a huge difference!
And while this incredible soul is still with us--reach out by leaving comments with your donation! Tell Michele how much she means to you, and let her know how she has impacted your life. Shower her with affirmations and remind her of all of the fun, spirited, magical adventures you've shared. Let Dave know how much you care. They will post updates as they are able. Michelle would love to rekindle long-time friendships and perhaps strike up a few new ones. She is open to outings and visits, however be aware that she fatigues rapidly and continues to decline so even though she would love to spend 24 hours a day with friends and family she is not physically able to do as much as she would like.
Thank you in advance for your precious attention and generosity! Your financial assistance will help Michele and Dave know without a doubt they are part of two amazing communities nestled near the Pacific ocean and Atlantic ocean who love them and care deeply for their wellbeing.
In gratitude,
~Genevieve, Michele & Dave
In December of 2016 our dear friend Michele Casey was diagnosed with two noncurative illnesses--Myelofibrosis, an incredibly rare form of bone marrow cancer coupled with Budd Chiari Syndrome, a rare disorder of the liver. Despite intensive treatment over the past five years, she has not been able to return to the life and work she once knew, and with hospital stays increasing over the past 11 months, both in frequency and duration, she has made the difficult decision to forego further treatment and receive hospice care. All this time, her devoted hubby Dave O'Neil has had to work double-time to keep them afloat physically and financially--providing elder companion care full time in the community and caring for Michele in his free time at home.
To help Dave avoid caregiver burnout and provide the most attentive and loving care possible for Michele in her remaining months and days, he needs respite from the stress of full time work in the care-giving field. Being able to reduce his workload to part time--to take days off during the week, or around weekends will allow Michele and Dave to have some crucial quality time together at a time when she needs him the most. Your donations will supplement their income and help Dave focus more time and energy on Michele. Your generous giving will directly support Michele, who is in need of a walk-in shower remodel to provide a safe bathing environment at home, a small transportation (Uber) budget and pain-relieving therapies not covered by insurance. It would greatly ease Michele's mind to know that memorial/funerary expenses are taken care of--and your donation will help with that too.
While this incredible soul is still with us--reach out by leaving comments with your donation! Tell Michele how much she means to you, and let her know how she has impacted your life. Shower her with affirmations and remind her of all of the fun, spirited, magical adventures you've shared. Let Dave know how supported he is on this journey.
Thank you in advance for your time and generous gifts!
Genevieve, Dave, Michele
READ MORE:
To know Michele Casey is to know a vibrant woman who shares her enthusiasm, love and authenticity with everyone she meets. She has spent twenty years both as a dedicated medical massage therapist and a passionate percussionist of traditional West African music. Michele is a gifted healer, musician, teacher and friend to many. She has dedicated her life to supporting community wellbeing, both in her hometown of Boise, Idaho--as well as her home of eight years in Raleigh, North Carolina. And now she needs our help!
In winter of 2016 she was diagnosed with two progressive terminal illnesses--Myelofibrosis, an incredibly rare form of bone marrow cancer coupled with Budd Chiari Syndrome, a rare disorder of the liver. During her admittance to the hospital at Duke University, there was a spark of hope that within six months she could return to practicing medical massage and studying West African percussion with the large and welcoming community she and Dave had found in their new home of North Carolina in 2013.
Her dream to return to the work and play she loved, however, never manifested again. Michele has had to give up driving, taking with it her freedom to come and go as she would like. She has had to let go of her massage practice, put down her djembe and face the loneliness that inevitably arises when a person with terminal illness can no longer participate as an active, happy and visible part of community life.
Prior to her diagnosis, time spent throughout the US and Europe studying with djembe masters and the rhythm traditions of West Africa was a complete honor and an absolute joy in her life. The wisdom and authentic love they imbued could light up an entire room! They shared not only music, but also demonstrated how to draw a community close together with love and happy energy. Losing a connection to her passionate dance and music family is one of the more difficult losses she’s had to face.
Our friend Michele lives a life of service, and I would imagine many of you reading this have benefitted from her giving nature and flourished in her care as a compassionate friend, gifted healer and teacher. After her diagnosis, she went from having a vibrant, sustaining career to living on Social Security Disability. For the last five years, Michele and her husband Dave have been very resourceful and done their best to manage the great rolling costs of living with terminal illness. Michele has often mentioned to me that the longer she has cancer, the more expensive it becomes. She currently takes over 18 medications and nutritive supplements, and has needed expensive trips to the dentist in recent years to mitigate the damaging effects of chemo. This past winter Dave purchased a used electric stair chair to transport her up and down the stairs at home, to give them both some peace of mind during the 45 to 47 hours a week Michele was alone in their home.
With precarious health conditions advancing and hospital stays increasing over the past eleven months (both in frequency and duration), Michele has made the difficult decision to forego further treatment and go on hospice. At present, Michele is in decline and we don’t know how much time she has left with us. Dave and Michele knew that hospice was going to be part of their experience at some point, and that point is now. Up until this time, her devoted hubby Dave O'Neil has worked double-time to keep them afloat physically and financially--providing elder companion care full time in the community and caring for Michele in his free time at home.
To help Dave avoid caregiver burnout and provide the most attentive and loving care possible for Michele in her remaining months and days, he needs respite from the stress of financial demands and the rigors of full time work in the care-giving field. Being able to reduce his workload to part time--to take days off during the week, or around weekends will allow Michele and Dave to have some crucial quality time together at a time when she needs him the most. Your donations will supplement their income and help Dave focus more time and energy solely on Michele. Your generous giving will directly support Michele, who is in need of a walk-in shower remodel to provide a safe bathing environment at home, a small transportation (Uber) budget, and beneficial pain-relieving therapies not covered by insurance, like lymphedema drainage massage, acupuncture & chiropractic visits. It would greatly ease Michele's mind to know that memorial/funerary expenses are taken care of--and your donation will help with that too.
So why not work together as a community to relieve some of their financial burden in this tender time? To help alleviate stress and provide relief to both Michele and Dave in this final chapter of her life? To collectively show our appreciation and gratitude for all the ways she’s touched our individual hearts and lives, while she is still with us? Any amount of financial support will make a huge difference!
And while this incredible soul is still with us--reach out by leaving comments with your donation! Tell Michele how much she means to you, and let her know how she has impacted your life. Shower her with affirmations and remind her of all of the fun, spirited, magical adventures you've shared. Let Dave know how much you care. They will post updates as they are able. Michelle would love to rekindle long-time friendships and perhaps strike up a few new ones. She is open to outings and visits, however be aware that she fatigues rapidly and continues to decline so even though she would love to spend 24 hours a day with friends and family she is not physically able to do as much as she would like.
Thank you in advance for your precious attention and generosity! Your financial assistance will help Michele and Dave know without a doubt they are part of two amazing communities nestled near the Pacific ocean and Atlantic ocean who love them and care deeply for their wellbeing.
In gratitude,
~Genevieve, Michele & Dave
Organizer
David O’Neil
Organizer
Garner, NC