Hi All,

This is my beautiful wife Michele, whom I have loved for a long time. We have been married for over 20 years. I want to share some of our stories with you.

In December of 2017, Michele was diagnosed with Stage 4 renal cell carcinoma. The doctors at his time removed her left kidney which had a 14cm nodule attached. Over the next several years though present, she has undergone numerous cancer therapies. Approximately a year after diagnosis and surgery, her cancer had spread to other areas of her body including her diaphragm, lungs, lymph nodes and esophagus. Each of these areas provided local doctors and doctors at MD Anderson in Houston Texas with certain challenges in treatment. Some of those included immunotherapy, intense radiation, and chemotherapy.

We are required to make several trips a year to MD Anderson for 2-3 days for tests, scans and follow-up appointments. Each of these trip’s costs between $800-$1,1100 for accommodations, travel costs, food and fees. We had to cancel our two most recent trips. This does not help contain the disease. These expenses are not reimbursable. I have been out of work for over a year, decreasing our monthly income dramatically. I act as Michele’s 24/7 caretaker. At the same time the cost of Michele’s monthly chemotherapy medicine has increased to over $32,000/month. While we have good insurance covering her treatment, they all come with substantial co-payment.

Last year Medicare supplemented the cost for a power wheelchair for Michele. It provides her with the ability to freely move around the house, inside and out giving her a little more independence. Something she feels she has lost over the years. The issue is that the powerchair is heavy and the suspension specifications on our vehicle will not allow us to transport her chair anywhere. So we still depend on her portable wheelchair, which is over 5 years old and has its mechanical challenges.

My humble plea to anyone this story may touch is for thoughts, prayers and if possible, in assistance to “Keep Michele’s Smile” on her face. Help to diminish the pain and discomfort in her daily life, while increasing her independence in assisting us acquire a means to upgrade our vehicle, or a new vehicle and carrier to take her powerchair to more places. Assistance in acquiring a new portable wheelchair for those circumstances where we can’t take the powerchair. If you can’t help I understand, I ask you just pass it on to your friends and family.

Many of God’s Blessing’s upon all of you. Mark