Help Steph Kick Cancer
Hello Facebook family, friends, and co-workers! I am starting a Go Fund Me page on behalf of one of my dearest and best friends, Stephanie McElroy. She has recently been diagnosed with Stage 3 Lung Cancer and needs our support.
She and her husband Scott have been happily married for the past twenty-two years. Stephanie is a cancer survivor. Six months after her wedding, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the young age of 26 and had a partial hysterectomy rendering her unable to bear children. Despite her cancer, she pushed through and continued her career as a teacher, later earning her master’s degree and becoming a school principal.
God had great plans for Scott and Stephanie, and in 2011, Ryley came into their lives when he was only 10 months old through the foster to adopt childcare system. Their son, Ryley, is now 10 years old and loves all things outdoors such as hunting, fishing, and baseball. And other children have filled both of their lives through their professional careers, first as schoolteachers and now as principals.
Stephanie defines what an outstanding educator is. She is passionate about education along with her students’ and their family’s success. Stephanie possesses many positive character traits such as integrity, loyalty, trustworthiness, strength, and courage. Her sense of humor is unmatched, and she lives every day to the fullest. Her ability to make people feel comfortable and cared for is a true gift.
She is facing possibly the greatest challenge of her life, having, dealing with, and surviving cancer! She is tenacious and ready to stand strong and fight the good fight one battle at a time. Many have asked, “How can I help you?” And as much as someone can feel loved by this sentiment, it can also be overwhelming as you are processing this new journey and what it means not only for yourself, but for those that it immediately impacts daily.
To answer this question, here is how YOU CAN help Stephanie and her family, through Go Fund Me. Through just the first couple of weeks she has met and exceeded her health insurance deductible. She will be responsible for paying 20% of all the medical bills she will incur. Today, May 10, marked her first day of radiation that will continue five days a week for six weeks. She starts chemotherapy on May 20th, where she will double up on radiation and chemo for several weeks. Parking fees and transportation costs can bring additional costs for cancer patients too. During this time, she is planning to continue to stay committed to her work. She started at a new school district this year which meant all her vacation and sick days started over as well. Did you know principals do not get the whole summer off? With only a handful of paid time off days available, working through the summer, along with the expectation that she will be out sick quite often with side effects from her treatment, she will lose days of pay needed to pay their bills and medical expenses. This leaves her and her family in a financial hardship, and in a constant state of worry on how they will make ends meet.
Please consider donating to help Stephanie, Scott and Ryley walk through this cancer journey a little easier, a little less burdened and to allow them to be able to focus on what is important in life, each other and the love and life that the three of them share. Thank you all in advance for your consideration, support, and prayers for the McElroy family.
