Transplant / unpaid family leave
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Deborah VreNon and I would like to introduce you to my dear longtime friends of over 10 years, Bernard and Sherri Tucker, who reside in Castro Valley, California. Before I share more of their story and how long they have been going through Bernard's battle with Multiple Myeloma Blood and Bone Marrow Cancer, I would like to share their current emergency need. In 5 days, on January 13, 2016, Bernard will be receiving his second "Autologous Blood and Marrow Transplant" at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California. Following the transplant, Bernard requires daily follow-up appointments for approximately a month. (52 miles from home Roundtrip but in Bay Area traffic almost 2 hours roundtrip. Bernard is, and has been on disability (Office Depot) for quite some time, resulting in reduced wages. Sherri, Bernard's wife is his only caregiver and there are no other nearby family members to help with his care. Sherri is employed at Almond Grove Elementary School as a para-professional (teacher's asst) working in the Oars program with autisic children. She has worked within her school district for over 14 years, and up until this school year, within the Special Education program at Gheringer Elementary, also in Oakley, California. Her job is 96 miles away, round-trip and is a 3 hour daily commute. They have one vehicle. Their commute costs are a great strain on their finances and just this month, their rent was raised $150 which now brings their rent up to $1,500 , an unsustainable amount. Sherri's monthly income is just under $900. Bernard has to pay his own company health insurance and benefits while on disability, over $600 per month. This past year Sherri has had some of her own health issues with Vertigo and has very little sick/vacation time left through her job.
They are going into next week with complete blind faith that somehow things will work out and they will make it through. But realistically, Sherri will more than likely be taking at least a month of unpaid days to care for and drive Bernard to the daily required follow-ups. That's in addition to the time she has had to take off this past month to attend the preparation appointments for the transplant. That amount of additional lost wages, plus the extra travel plus the increased rent, will within their very first month make their living situation completely unsustainable. It also adds a level of stress to their lives that is unsustainable. The continued stress will certainly take away from the energy needed for Bernard's healing.
Ideally, after the transplant follow-ups are completed their dream would be to be able to locate closer to Sherri's City of employment, Oakley, California to ease, if not eliminate, the monthly commute costs. However, they already barely survive month to month and have no savings whatsoever. Neither Bernard nor Sherri have family that have the ability to be of financial help.
Bernard's battle with the blood and bone marrow cancer began in 2009 resulting with his first transplant on December 7 of that year. And as an adopted individual he had no known blood relatives to donate bone marrow, so his own blood/stem cells had to be harvested/cleaned/grown to even do a transplant, which made it a longer more arduous process. Bernard's doctors told them the first transplant didn't work as well as they wanted and Bernard has been on monthly "chemo" maintenance these past 6 years and now suffers other side-effects from the long term chemo (neuropathy, muscle/joint pain/fatigue).
Despite what they have been through, you just could not meet a kinder, more humble couple. Their faith has been the one sustaining factor that they have never wavered in and I am so amazed by their tenacity, perseverance and constant faith that all will work out.
If you are someone who could help Bernard and Sherri out, in any way possible, you would be a complete God-send and they (and I) would be humbled and grateful beyond words or compare. Your donations would immediately be used to replace Sherri's lost wages, Bernard's lowered wages, traveling costs and would immediately removed the stress of how they will get their next tank of gas or food on the table, much less the rent and insurance paid. And if enough of you were able to help and make their dream come true, they could hopefully make a physical move and reduce the stress even more.
Thank you in advance for your consideration any donation you could possibly make. You will literally change their lives with any dollar you donate. And if you have no dollars to donate, they would appreciate your prayers more than you will ever know!
THANK YOU SO MUCH and please share this post!
They are going into next week with complete blind faith that somehow things will work out and they will make it through. But realistically, Sherri will more than likely be taking at least a month of unpaid days to care for and drive Bernard to the daily required follow-ups. That's in addition to the time she has had to take off this past month to attend the preparation appointments for the transplant. That amount of additional lost wages, plus the extra travel plus the increased rent, will within their very first month make their living situation completely unsustainable. It also adds a level of stress to their lives that is unsustainable. The continued stress will certainly take away from the energy needed for Bernard's healing.
Ideally, after the transplant follow-ups are completed their dream would be to be able to locate closer to Sherri's City of employment, Oakley, California to ease, if not eliminate, the monthly commute costs. However, they already barely survive month to month and have no savings whatsoever. Neither Bernard nor Sherri have family that have the ability to be of financial help.
Bernard's battle with the blood and bone marrow cancer began in 2009 resulting with his first transplant on December 7 of that year. And as an adopted individual he had no known blood relatives to donate bone marrow, so his own blood/stem cells had to be harvested/cleaned/grown to even do a transplant, which made it a longer more arduous process. Bernard's doctors told them the first transplant didn't work as well as they wanted and Bernard has been on monthly "chemo" maintenance these past 6 years and now suffers other side-effects from the long term chemo (neuropathy, muscle/joint pain/fatigue).
Despite what they have been through, you just could not meet a kinder, more humble couple. Their faith has been the one sustaining factor that they have never wavered in and I am so amazed by their tenacity, perseverance and constant faith that all will work out.
If you are someone who could help Bernard and Sherri out, in any way possible, you would be a complete God-send and they (and I) would be humbled and grateful beyond words or compare. Your donations would immediately be used to replace Sherri's lost wages, Bernard's lowered wages, traveling costs and would immediately removed the stress of how they will get their next tank of gas or food on the table, much less the rent and insurance paid. And if enough of you were able to help and make their dream come true, they could hopefully make a physical move and reduce the stress even more.
Thank you in advance for your consideration any donation you could possibly make. You will literally change their lives with any dollar you donate. And if you have no dollars to donate, they would appreciate your prayers more than you will ever know!
THANK YOU SO MUCH and please share this post!
Organizer and beneficiary
Deborah VreNon
Organizer
Lincoln, CA
Bernard Tucker
Beneficiary