Support for the Hawkins Family

In June 2019, my very close friend, Alexis Hawkins, received the most devastating news.  Her husband of almost 9 years, Duane, was diagnosed with Melanoma Cancer in his pelvis and lymph nodes.  Alexis and Duane have 4 precious kiddos, Braxton-8, Jaxon-6, Tommy and Tyler-3.  After Duane's cancer diagnosis, he had to start treatment immediately.  Alexis is now the sole contributor to the family financially.  Alexis works as a bus driver for the local school district during the school year.  This has already had a significant impact on their family and their ability to be able to financially meet even their most basic needs. 

Alexis is one of those people who will do just about anything to help out in someone.  She has a huge heart and truly is one of the most selfless people I know.  Alexis has a gift for creativity and can whip up Pinterest worthy projects in a matter of hours without even trying.  She is always sharing her many talents with our church’s Children’s Ministry on Wednesday nights whether it is volunteering in our special needs classroom or leading crafts in our WOW program.  She is legendary among all the Platte Woods United Methodist Church VBS volunteers when it comes to her Crazy Hair creations each summer.  Alexis can do just about anything!


Alexis’s entire life revolves around her family. Her boys are her greatest passion and she tirelessly works to be sure that they are successful in life.  Her twins have had several hurdles to overcome with their physical and speech/language needs.  Alexis never balked at driving them across town for therapy and appointments and they have made huge progress because of her commitment.  She also has taken on the role of her oldest boys’ Cub Scout Pack Leader.  She does all of these things with very little resources financially and virtually no sleep or breaks.  She truly inspires me daily. 

Alexis and Duane are two of the hardest working people I know and have had to overcome huge amounts of financial burdens over the past few years.  When Alexis was pregnant with her twins, she was let go unexpectantly from her job working for the food service department in a local school district.  She had to spend several months unemployed due to the limitations in jobs she could have while very pregnant with twins and then needing to have a job that would also allow her to provide daycare for her 4 small boys.  During that time, Alexis continued to tirelessly try to help financially support her family in a multitude of ways.  She is a talented cake baker and is a highly skilled cosmetologist.  She has been cutting my kids’ hair for years.  She has even come to my dining room late in the evening the day before picture day when I totally forgot!


After spending so many years living paycheck to paycheck to make the most basic ends meet, Alexis and Duane finally started to feel like they had some breathing room over the past year.   Alexis’s job as a bus driver during the school year allowed her to have her youngest boys to come to work with her which was invaluable due to the high cost that comes with day care. 

All of this came to a crashing halt after Duane’s cancer diagnosis.  They had to wipe out all of their savings and cash in over $4000 of Duane’s 401K just to pay the minimum deductible the hospital required to be able to perform his first surgery. 

Duane’s first surgery was over 6.5 hours on July 25th.  His second surgery was over 5.5 hours on August 1st.  He had to remain hospitalized this entire time due to the very difficult recovery due to the nature of the amount of cancer that had to be removed from his body.  On August 9th, Duane was able to move to a rehab facility and is expected to be there until the end of the month at the very least.  Duane’s last paycheck was August 2nd and Alexis won’t get her next paycheck until 2 weeks after the school year starts which will be the end of August.  The unemployment check barely covers groceries right now. 



Alexis is doing everything solo right now.  She is having to support her very sick husband and be both mom and dad to her four young boys while also working a full time job.   Added to her load is the fear that bills are not going to get paid and basic needs won’t be able to be met.  This is more than any 1 family should have to endure. 


Alexis and Duane are incredibly hard working people who are so giving of themselves, but are especially proud and don’t ask for help for themselves.  I had to really work hard to convince both Alexis and Duane to let me write this campaign after finding out about everything that was happening.  They have been pretty private about Duane’s cancer diagnosis and the struggles they are experiencing.  I know that they have really put themselves in a vulnerable position by allowing me to share all that they are going through right now.  They are experiencing so much anxiety about the unknowns that are in their path in the months to come.



I am hoping that as a community, we can work together to provide this very worthy and strong family with just a little bit of “breathing room” as they navigate through this new “normal”.  I am confident that by relieving some of their financial burdens during this very uncertain and scary time of their lives, they can better focus on Duane’s healing and Alexis being able to keep everything afloat as they live each day moment to moment. 

Every donation is appreciated and needed.  Please help me to give this family who is so very close to my family’s heart the support they need so badly right now. 

 

Thank you!

Darcy Lippman