Thank you for your time...here's to Blake!
Donation protected
Do you love your job?
Do you love your family?
Do you work hard to take care of your family the best that you know how?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you’ve answered yes to my reason for this fundraising effort.
Allow me to introduce you to Steve Billington and Jen Shearer Dekarski.
Many of you know this outstanding couple. If you’re an RCPM fan, you’ve witnessed Steve’s hard work at being the Tour Manager for Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. He loves what he does and it’s easy to see. And as much as he loves what he does, he loves something far more...his family.
They say a good man becomes great when they have a strong woman to stand beside him. And that is Jen. They love and support each other. They love and support their family. They love and support us.
As many of you know, there is a timeless RCPM lyric that says “Believe in love, forsake your greed and give away what you wanna receive!!”.
Below you will read a story of this families history and current reality. With it, comes many medical bills and other expenses, some known, some unknown. And most of the needs, will be long term. For now, as this family is transitioning into this new and exciting version of life, I’m asking you to support them with their financial needs. I’m asking you to support them big. I’m asking that you give...in any way you can, what you’ve already received!!
Let’s blow their minds. Let’s give Blake every possible future we can. Let’s love on them Peacemaker style!!
Thank you for your time...here’s to Blake!!
Blake was born with a congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. During his first 4 years of life, he underwent four open heart surgeries all of them to compensate for having underdeveloped left chambers to his heart. He spent many months in those first years of life hospitalized and experienced many complications.
We always knew that the previous surgeries were a temporary fix and that some day, as his body grew, his "re-plumbed" heart would not function sufficiently and that we would be faced with the need for a heart transplant.
Two years ago, Phoenix Children's Hospital made the assessment that the time for transplant was upon us. After careful consideration and second opinions, we made the hard decision, as a family, that it would be in Blake's best interest to move to Minnesota to be under the care of very skilled doctors and transplant program at Children's Hospital of MN.
Blake went through months of transplant evaluation appointments and on July 3rd of 2018, he was officially listed on the UNOS Heart Transplant Wait list.
After waiting 338 days, (and Steve and myself getting ready to leave for Circus Mexicus), I received the phone call from Blake's cardiologist on June 5th at 12:30 am that they had a perfect donor match for Blake!
Blake underwent 13 hours of surgery and is currently still in the hospital recovering. He is doing very well and we are so happy and blessed that he has received this gift of life.
Blake will spend the summer months continuing his recovery, regaining his strength and is looking forward to his Senior year in high school in the fall.
Obviously, being Steve Billington's stepson, Blake is not only a Peacemaker but a true TIGER inside and out!
Thank you Peacemakers for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers through all of this. Your support is helping Blake keep fighting the good fight!!!
Love from Jen, Steve, Blake, and family
Do you love your family?
Do you work hard to take care of your family the best that you know how?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you’ve answered yes to my reason for this fundraising effort.
Allow me to introduce you to Steve Billington and Jen Shearer Dekarski.
Many of you know this outstanding couple. If you’re an RCPM fan, you’ve witnessed Steve’s hard work at being the Tour Manager for Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. He loves what he does and it’s easy to see. And as much as he loves what he does, he loves something far more...his family.
They say a good man becomes great when they have a strong woman to stand beside him. And that is Jen. They love and support each other. They love and support their family. They love and support us.
As many of you know, there is a timeless RCPM lyric that says “Believe in love, forsake your greed and give away what you wanna receive!!”.
Below you will read a story of this families history and current reality. With it, comes many medical bills and other expenses, some known, some unknown. And most of the needs, will be long term. For now, as this family is transitioning into this new and exciting version of life, I’m asking you to support them with their financial needs. I’m asking you to support them big. I’m asking that you give...in any way you can, what you’ve already received!!
Let’s blow their minds. Let’s give Blake every possible future we can. Let’s love on them Peacemaker style!!
Thank you for your time...here’s to Blake!!
Blake was born with a congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. During his first 4 years of life, he underwent four open heart surgeries all of them to compensate for having underdeveloped left chambers to his heart. He spent many months in those first years of life hospitalized and experienced many complications.
We always knew that the previous surgeries were a temporary fix and that some day, as his body grew, his "re-plumbed" heart would not function sufficiently and that we would be faced with the need for a heart transplant.
Two years ago, Phoenix Children's Hospital made the assessment that the time for transplant was upon us. After careful consideration and second opinions, we made the hard decision, as a family, that it would be in Blake's best interest to move to Minnesota to be under the care of very skilled doctors and transplant program at Children's Hospital of MN.
Blake went through months of transplant evaluation appointments and on July 3rd of 2018, he was officially listed on the UNOS Heart Transplant Wait list.
After waiting 338 days, (and Steve and myself getting ready to leave for Circus Mexicus), I received the phone call from Blake's cardiologist on June 5th at 12:30 am that they had a perfect donor match for Blake!
Blake underwent 13 hours of surgery and is currently still in the hospital recovering. He is doing very well and we are so happy and blessed that he has received this gift of life.
Blake will spend the summer months continuing his recovery, regaining his strength and is looking forward to his Senior year in high school in the fall.
Obviously, being Steve Billington's stepson, Blake is not only a Peacemaker but a true TIGER inside and out!
Thank you Peacemakers for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers through all of this. Your support is helping Blake keep fighting the good fight!!!
Love from Jen, Steve, Blake, and family
Organizer and beneficiary
Nicole Sutton
Organizer
Las Vegas, NV
Jennifer Dekarski
Beneficiary
