Support for Marlene's Medical Needs After Wildfire Loss

Help Marlene Get the Medical Emergency

Support She Needs!

Like many others affected by the devastating wildfires ravaging parts of LA, our dear friend Marlene has experienced a heartbreaking loss. Her historic 114-year-old home in Altadena, which her family purchased in the 1970s, was destroyed by the recent Eaton Fire.

The fire struck in the early hours, and Marlene was woken by a neighbor at 3 AM, with homes just a few doors down already engulfed in flames. In the chaos, she frantically searched for her cat, but had to flee for her life without any belongings. She left behind her purse, wallet, important medication, clothes, and even her ID. In fact, she may not even of had shoes on when she ran for safety.

With nowhere else to go, Marlene drove to City Hall, where she has worked for over 35 years as a broadcast programming scheduler for the city's television station. While working in a daze, unsure of what had happened to her home, her cat, and her neighbors, her coworker immediately knew something medically was wrong. Marlene is battling serious health issues which requires her to undergo dialysis four times a week and take multiple specialty medications daily. She is also on the transplant list, waiting for a kidney.

We encouraged her to get checked at a hospital, and she was admitted to UCLA, where she remained under care and underwent 2 surgeries just a day after loosing everything. Despite everything she’s endured, Marlene is a fighter, processing one day at a time.

Since she left her home with nothing, Marlene was unable to pay for anything once discharged from the hospital. She urgently needs funds to help with her specialty medical care that isn't covered by insurance, as she finds a nearby center for extended care.

Marlene is one of the kindest, most generous people I know—she’s a churchgoer, a piano player, a cat lover, and truly a wonderful human. She lived alone with her cat, and most of her family is on the East Coast.

With so many others displaced by the fires, we understand that many are also in need. But Marlene needs immediate help with medical expenses before she can access support from FEMA and other resources. Recovery will be a long road, especially with more than 190,000 people displaced.

If you can donate, even a small amount, it will make a big difference for Marlene. I promise that every dollar will go directly to her and help her medical needs, purchasing medication, getting to dialysis etc. Marlene leads a modest life as a civil service worker and could really use the support of our community right now.

Please feel free to reach out to me via email or phone if you have any questions or would like more details on how you can help.

Thank you for your kindness and support!

With love and hope,

Friends of Marlene

UPDATE: 1/15/25: Thank you!! All so much for your generous donations to Marlene. After speaking to her and seeing her she shared she had an angioplasty a few days ago and a few other medical procedures to help with her dialysis needs. She is currently looking for a new center to go to regularly, searching for a place to stay for long term/ temporary and making calls to get a better idea of what is next to come. Thank you all for the continued support. Marlene's home was historic. It was on the historic registry list for Pasadena built in 1911.