Donation protected
Hi Everyone,
I'm doing this for my mom, Laurie. She'd never ask for help herself so I'm going to do it for her. Here's her story:
My mom has spent the past 25 years working 55-70 hours a week as the manager of a group home which houses and cares for 5-6 elderly mentally handicap people. She loves her job and helping people. Unfortunately, like most non-profit jobs it doesn't pay much. She's never earned more than just enough to cover her living expenses which leaves her with nothing extra for herself.
For the past year or so she had been having issues with her speech. We thought a recent neck surgery had something to do with it but it never got better. So, this past August, after being tested for everything else possible, the doctors diagnosed my mom with ALS.
Incredibly, and to no surprise to me or anyone who knows her, she has continued working since her diagnosis. Even as her speech has continued to worsen and other symptoms such as weakness in her hands has begun, she still just finds a way to get her job done. The people she cares for are her life. Simply put, she is the hardest working person I know.
With all the awareness created by the Ice Bucket Challenge, most of you probably know that there is no cure for ALS and that its victims eventually become completely paralyzed. Eventually she is going to have to stop working because she just physically won't be able to do it anymore.
My goal, before she can no longer walk and needs a wheelchair, is to send her on her first real vacation. She hasn't been on a plane or gone away for more than a night or two since I was born over 30 years ago! I want her to see a part of the world she has never seen and maybe, for a week or so, forget about work and this terrible disease and just relax and have fun!
Thank you everyone, from the bottom of my heart.
- Nick
I'm doing this for my mom, Laurie. She'd never ask for help herself so I'm going to do it for her. Here's her story:
My mom has spent the past 25 years working 55-70 hours a week as the manager of a group home which houses and cares for 5-6 elderly mentally handicap people. She loves her job and helping people. Unfortunately, like most non-profit jobs it doesn't pay much. She's never earned more than just enough to cover her living expenses which leaves her with nothing extra for herself.
For the past year or so she had been having issues with her speech. We thought a recent neck surgery had something to do with it but it never got better. So, this past August, after being tested for everything else possible, the doctors diagnosed my mom with ALS.
Incredibly, and to no surprise to me or anyone who knows her, she has continued working since her diagnosis. Even as her speech has continued to worsen and other symptoms such as weakness in her hands has begun, she still just finds a way to get her job done. The people she cares for are her life. Simply put, she is the hardest working person I know.
With all the awareness created by the Ice Bucket Challenge, most of you probably know that there is no cure for ALS and that its victims eventually become completely paralyzed. Eventually she is going to have to stop working because she just physically won't be able to do it anymore.
My goal, before she can no longer walk and needs a wheelchair, is to send her on her first real vacation. She hasn't been on a plane or gone away for more than a night or two since I was born over 30 years ago! I want her to see a part of the world she has never seen and maybe, for a week or so, forget about work and this terrible disease and just relax and have fun!
Thank you everyone, from the bottom of my heart.
- Nick
Organizer
Nick Warren
Organizer
Boston, MA