Jo is a third-year electrical apprentice in Local 14, working her way toward becoming a JIW while staying active in her local and keeping up with school and demanding parenting duties. Recently, she got the devastating news that she was also battling stage two colon cancer and has doctor's orders to stop working while fighting this due to limits on her physical health. With surgery scheduled for May, with more procedures and treatments expected after that, Jo has a lot of extra demands put on her both physically and mentally right now. This is a heavy weight to carry along with all the demands of being a mom and a necessary wage earner in her household.

Many people know Jo because she shows up. When someone needs a hand, at work or on a personal level, she is there to say, "I can help!" She is the spokesperson for her apprenticeship class, taking the concerns of her fellow classmates to the right people. She is affectionately known as "Mom" by a number of her classmates as well. She has been working on college-level classes to advance herself in her future career as a Journeyman. She finds time to attend Local 14 volunteer opportunities, helping at job fairs, and volunteered to go to the Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference where she learned more about giving more women a hand up to succeed in the trades.

Let’s all give our Sister Jo a hand up by supporting her and her family through this season in their lives and helping her get the best fighting chance to beat this cancer. Funds will be used to cover lost wages, basic household needs as she recovers, and transportation to and from appointments. Thank you for helping our Sister by lightening the load and stress of this diagnosis!