Dear friends, family, and kind-hearted strangers,

My name is Sandra.

For those who don't know, I'm Steve’s wife,

I am reaching out to our friends, and acquaintances today for a helping hand.

Many of you have known or met my husband, Steve Milner, over the years. 

You might know him as a truck driver for Macro, a job he seriously enjoys.

But I’m pretty sure it’s more about the people that came along with the job, not just the pretty truck.

Some of you will know him as the guy you see running around with a camera in hand while you’re enjoying a night out at the Lido, the Legion, or at one of those Awesome Music Festivals we have during our summer.

Photography has been a passion of Steves for over fifty years.

He is a talented photographer who loves capturing the moments in life most of us miss 

 His black-and-white work is spectacular, but admittedly I’m a little biased.

He has a special eye for the incredible artists he finds onstage, whether it’s the newcomer at a local music event or a seasoned musician on the pro stage, he makes you look amazing. 

And he absolutely loves doing it.

And the friends we have made in the music world are truly irreplaceable.

Then there is the Golf Course…let’s not forget the Golf Course, where he likes to spend as much of his free time with his golf buddy’s as he can get away with.

Maybe, you simply know him as an old friend. 

A good friend, that has been in the background with you, and beside you always.

The guy that can always make you smile and laugh with his corny jokes and one liners.

He always makes me smile, even if I’m peeved at him and don’t want to.

But, that’s why I fell in love with him.

We were just getting to the part of life where we were really starting to enjoy it on a new level.

You know, when you finally begin to feel like you’ve got a handle on what life’s all about. `What’s really important.

There is a sense of calmness, allowing you to see the broader perspective and understand the wisdom of it all

I’m pretty sure Steve wouldn’t put it that way of course

But that’s where life has taken us.

We had a good plan moving forward, write up until the day a sore shoulder and a visit to the emergency room turned into a life altering hit.

There was a tumour in his right lung. 

Steve has Lung Cancer

Still… Just typing that out here, takes my breath away.

We have been trying to deal with it on our own, probably longer than we should have.

But, It’s hard to ask for help.

But the unexpected costs keep creeping up on us and it’s starting to feel right out of control, is crazy.

Not having enough of a paycheque coming in to just cover the everyday basics is, well what can I say 

It’s terrifying.

The worry Steve has weighing on his mind and heart is getting too much. 

Just dealing with his life expectancy alone has been overwhelming.

Adding the stress of simply paying the bills to keep your home…

I’m sure any of you could imagine what that feels like. 

There is nothing more precious than your home.

So what I’m saying here, is that we need some help to get through the cost of it all.

The travel for treatment is huge, more than I expected.

Just having to live away from home for a Month at a time is difficult when the only place you want to be when your sick is in your own home and your own bed.

Then comes the drugs, the vitamins, the healthy food (Wow) and so much more….

Stuff you might go without these days. Things like a small air conditioner for the bedroom during the days he’s in recovery.. A special diet that’s incredibly important.

Getting the trailer up to snuff, getting the repairs done so we can live in it for a month while travelling to PG for treatment, it all piles up.

Just when you think you’ve got a handle on it, there’s more

The list seems endless.

I am trying to help Steve stay positive through what is coming during his treatments and the months following

We are 4 days of 15 into radiation therapy now then comes the wait to see if it worked.

He likes hearing from you all, but it’s difficult for him to respond.

The tumour is pushing on nerves connecting to his right arm down to his hand, making it difficult to use at all. 

So if he doesn’t respond to your text or return your call, that’s why..

The messages still mean a lot to him…believe me

It's likely going to take a year for him to regain his health and his strength.

So I humbly ask, what ever you can comfortably contribute to help Steve fight this battle, with the peace of mind that things are not falling apart under him while he is down I would help him tremendously

And knowing that we are able to get the best help for him while he beats this truly awful disease would be a gift treasured.

Warm Regards

Sandra Milner