Support our friend Ken Cameron

Hello. My name is Lindsay Morse, and I am fundraising for a dear family friend, Ken Cameron. On February 13th, just one month after retiring, Ken suffered a tragic injury. He slipped and fell on ice, fracturing multiple vertebrae in his neck and causing compression of his spinal cord. Unable to move, Ken lay in the snow for 30 minutes before being found and rushed to the hospital. He underwent urgent spinal fusion surgery the next day to repair and stabilize the injured area. Ken spent ten days in the Neuro ICU Plus at UMass Hospital before being transferred to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Charlestown, MA. At SRH, he is currently receiving aggressive spinal-cord injury rehabilitation. Almost overnight, Ken’s primary focus has shifted from enjoying a life of retirement to fighting the mentally and physically exhausting battle of gaining back movement and independence. Ken is aware of the long, slow road to recovery ahead, but he remains focused, hopeful and determined!

Your donation will support the purchase of essential medical devices and therapy services that Ken requires to maintain a comfortable quality of life while working to recover fully. For example, Ken’s family must purchase a wheelchair-accessible van. Also, his home in West Boylston must undergo modifications, such as adding an entry ramp and renovations to make the bathroom more accessible. Furthermore, Ken himself will need intensive occupational and physical therapy for years. All of this comes at a very high cost, and your donation will help Ken and his family to afford the expenses that exceed insurance coverage. In addition, your contribution will lighten the load for Ken and his family to focus on their most important priority - Ken getting better.

Let me tell you a little about Ken Cameron. Ken worked at Becker College in Worcester/Leicester, MA, for 38 years, rising through the ranks, becoming the Dean of Students and retiring as an Assistant Vice President. Ken has spent his life volunteering his time and helping those around him outside of work. He spent years assisting in Cub Scouts and coaching his twin sons’ Little League and soccer teams, being a role model for good sportsmanship. He was a long-time women’s soccer and softball coach, men’s golf and lacrosse coach at Becker College, and assisted in coaching men’s soccer. Ken gets birthday messages and holiday cards from his former players. Ken is always there to help a friend in need. When a family friend lost her husband, Ken showed up with rakes and barrels to take care of her property. He shows up at a friend’s house with a toolbox and chainsaw in hand to take care of a fallen tree or fix a leaky sink. Ken has been a rock for his wife, Nancy, supporting her through two breast cancer diagnoses. Ken supported his son, Patrick, on his many fundraising campaigns for cancer research and was there to watch him cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon to benefit Mass General Hospital Pediatric Oncology. I have had the opportunity to talk to many of Ken’s friends, family members, and coworkers as I gathered the information for this GoFundMe page. In every conversation, one common thread emerges: Ken never thinks twice about helping others in need and does so with a huge smile, humor, and selflessness.

Recently, Ken and Nancy had been gearing up for retirement. They had plans to enjoy hobbies and interests, such as golf, kayaking, bike-riding, hiking, and vacations with friends. It’s hard to understand how this could happen to someone as kind as Ken at such a joyful time. I visited Ken recently and was awestruck by his positive mindset, optimism, and unwavering sense of humor. Ken is tackling this overwhelming setback with courage and dignity and making many new friends! There's no doubt that his mindset will help him in his recovery.

In closing, I'd like to ask you to consider donating to show support for Ken on his road to recovery. He's fighting the fight of his life and doing so with excellent physical and emotional resilience. Together, we can show Ken how much we believe in him and give him the strength to keep fighting!

With Gratitude.