The Butterfly Effect - Helping Hand for Helene

Many in our community know Helene and her family, in some way, shape or form. Whether from Boaz as an educator at B’nai Shalom or Helene with her “Created Just for You” business, or any one of their three daughters who grew up in our community. Many of you know Helene was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer 7 years ago. She met the challenge like any other, in true Helene fashion. She showed up, found trials, directed her doctors, found new trials, and fought. She fought hard. All the while, opening The Butterfly Effect and writing a book of her journey. Welcoming Riley into this world and seeing her first grandchild was pinnacle and the beginning of the end. On the return home seizures landed Helene in the hospital and it became known the cancer had taken over and spread. Just as heroically as she fought her battle, she now has made the decision to spend her time with her family and to stay at home with them as long as they can care for her.

Boaz and Helene would never ask for anyone’s help. Actually, they are the ones who usually are helping someone else. Always. For me, Helene has been a mentor, a best friend, and a mother to my three sons. She is that kind of person…the one that always shows up when you need her in your corner. Now, she needs us.

In order to keep support in place at home, the family need financial assistance. Helene needs round the clock supervision and care. Hospice is coming in but does not provide nursing support to stay with Helene. Yahav is caring for her mother during the day- she cannot work right now. Boaz is doing his best to maintain all his obligations at Elon, for as long as he can. Overnight care has been brought in to allow support at night for Boaz and Yahav to rest. They are juggling Helene’s care, the closing of her business, as well as dealing with the mounting expenses created from the lack of her income as well as her medical expenses.

I am asking for support so they can focus on family- on time with Helene without worry about all the other stuff. I am asking because they will not. I am asking so she, my best friend, will not worry about what she cannot change. We cannot give them what they really want…more time. But at least we can try to make the time they have be as stress free as possible.

Please, contribute what you can. Any amount adds up, large or small. The Butterfly Effect…the idea that something so small can have much larger effects. If you know Helene…then you know.