Support for the Jahnkes
Donation protected
Dear Friends,
We are writing to tell you about the Jahnkes, our dear friends Sue, Dave and Alex. We have been neighbors and friends since the late 1990s. Our kids grew up together and we feel more like family than neighbors. Many of you know them from the Beaubien school community, Boy Scouts and just being fixtures in the neighborhood.
A couple of years ago Sue underwent major surgery to fuse a couple of disks together in her neck. She had just started to get back to normal after that ordeal when back in February 2020 she suddenly suffered a collapsed lung. She had to go to the ER and was treated at Swedish hospital. After many days at the hospital she was sent home with an air cleaning /oxygen machine that she needed to enable her to breathe and heal.
Recovery for Sue had been slow, but she was able to join us for social distanced gatherings in the neighbor’s yard a couple of times. She remained upbeat about her condition. But in late September, Sue experienced an acute event where she was unable to walk, talk or see, essentially losing ability to function. At this point Dave took her to the ER at Northwestern hospital for help with what they suspected were related side effects of having a collapsed lung. This time she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Sue underwent surgery in early October. It was determined that the brain cancer was a result of metastasized stage four lung cancer. She is currently undergoing immunotherapy and chemotherapy to battle the cancer in her lungs. Sue has also received experimental proton therapy at Northwestern to battle the cancer in her brain.
As you can imagine this is a lot for any family to go through. And of course on top of all this, like everyone else, they are dealing with the pandemic. The pandemic, which has caused hardship for so many of us, also caused Dave to lose his job as a chef. If you are blessed with having tasted some of Dave’s cooking you know how passionate he is about his work.
Years of hard work in the kitchen has taken its toll on Dave’s knees. Since being laid-off he took advantage of that time to undergo long needed knee replacement surgery. He had been putting off the surgery because in the restaurant industry it is very hard to take time off. Dave is currently going through physical therapy and his knee is slowly improving while causing him much physical pain. But he is never one to complain about his own situation. His concern is only caring for Sue. Dave is truly a provider and a giver.
As you can imagine the hospital bills are quickly piling up and with the start of the new year, they will be taxed with the burden of meeting a new round of deductibles and other costs the insurance companies won’t cover.
We have seen Dave and Alex regularly during the pandemic as part of socially distanced outdoor get-togethers with the neighbors. These gatherings have provided much needed relief for all involved. We can offer each other some comfort and emotional support as well as much comic relief thanks to the many local comedians. We are all so impressed with how resilient Dave and Alex are and how committed they both are to caring for Sue during this difficult time.
Any of you that know the Jahnkes know how warm, caring and generous people they are. Their annual birthday party for Alex has been legendary. For many of us it has marked the official start of summer for the last 20 years. Everyone was welcome. Now they could use the community’s support. They won’t ask for it, so we are asking on their behalf.
We ask you to share whatever you are able with a family that has been handed more than their share of bad luck lately. Please help them if you can! No contribution too small. Anything helps.
We thank you for your prayers and financial support,
Friends of the Jahnkes
We are writing to tell you about the Jahnkes, our dear friends Sue, Dave and Alex. We have been neighbors and friends since the late 1990s. Our kids grew up together and we feel more like family than neighbors. Many of you know them from the Beaubien school community, Boy Scouts and just being fixtures in the neighborhood.
A couple of years ago Sue underwent major surgery to fuse a couple of disks together in her neck. She had just started to get back to normal after that ordeal when back in February 2020 she suddenly suffered a collapsed lung. She had to go to the ER and was treated at Swedish hospital. After many days at the hospital she was sent home with an air cleaning /oxygen machine that she needed to enable her to breathe and heal.
Recovery for Sue had been slow, but she was able to join us for social distanced gatherings in the neighbor’s yard a couple of times. She remained upbeat about her condition. But in late September, Sue experienced an acute event where she was unable to walk, talk or see, essentially losing ability to function. At this point Dave took her to the ER at Northwestern hospital for help with what they suspected were related side effects of having a collapsed lung. This time she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Sue underwent surgery in early October. It was determined that the brain cancer was a result of metastasized stage four lung cancer. She is currently undergoing immunotherapy and chemotherapy to battle the cancer in her lungs. Sue has also received experimental proton therapy at Northwestern to battle the cancer in her brain.
As you can imagine this is a lot for any family to go through. And of course on top of all this, like everyone else, they are dealing with the pandemic. The pandemic, which has caused hardship for so many of us, also caused Dave to lose his job as a chef. If you are blessed with having tasted some of Dave’s cooking you know how passionate he is about his work.
Years of hard work in the kitchen has taken its toll on Dave’s knees. Since being laid-off he took advantage of that time to undergo long needed knee replacement surgery. He had been putting off the surgery because in the restaurant industry it is very hard to take time off. Dave is currently going through physical therapy and his knee is slowly improving while causing him much physical pain. But he is never one to complain about his own situation. His concern is only caring for Sue. Dave is truly a provider and a giver.
As you can imagine the hospital bills are quickly piling up and with the start of the new year, they will be taxed with the burden of meeting a new round of deductibles and other costs the insurance companies won’t cover.
We have seen Dave and Alex regularly during the pandemic as part of socially distanced outdoor get-togethers with the neighbors. These gatherings have provided much needed relief for all involved. We can offer each other some comfort and emotional support as well as much comic relief thanks to the many local comedians. We are all so impressed with how resilient Dave and Alex are and how committed they both are to caring for Sue during this difficult time.
Any of you that know the Jahnkes know how warm, caring and generous people they are. Their annual birthday party for Alex has been legendary. For many of us it has marked the official start of summer for the last 20 years. Everyone was welcome. Now they could use the community’s support. They won’t ask for it, so we are asking on their behalf.
We ask you to share whatever you are able with a family that has been handed more than their share of bad luck lately. Please help them if you can! No contribution too small. Anything helps.
We thank you for your prayers and financial support,
Friends of the Jahnkes
Co-organizers (2)
Maria Berglund-Taylor
Organizer
Chicago, IL
David Jahnke
Beneficiary
Mary Beth Steigerwald
Co-organizer