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Stephen Parziale another surgery

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I grew up 7 miles from Boston in a town where everybody knows everybody and most people live within 15 miles of where we grew up.   My Dad was a canteen driver.  What does that mean?  A food truck operator who went to local businesses and had a "route."  We grew up never knowing we were not rich, because we were rich in all the things that mattered-- people and relationships.  My Dad's friend, Charlie, also a canteen driver had a daughter, Susan, who became my lifelong friend and she married  Stephen-- he is a self employed canteen driver and they have two amazing girls in college.   Stephen developed colon cancer at a ridiculously young age and we were stunned.  He more than survived and continued working the 12-15 hour days canteen drivers put in.  Years later brain tumors develeloped and he was diagnosed with Lynch syndrome.   He' s had way too many surgeries and each time they think it is cancer.   Being self employed as we all know means there is no paid time off, no long term or short term disability payments coming in, but sheer grit and determination to work hard and go to work even if you are in pain, recovering from surgery, and most people would be calling in.  For a canteen driver there is no one to call and missed work could mean losing your route.  Rain, Snow, Ice, Heat, and all the other things that happen are just another day.   

This month after many tests and a lot of unknown Stephen has been diagnosed with kidney cancer and he will miss a lot of work having his kidney removed and the burden on his family is immense.  The surgery is this week.  

As the daughter of someone who never missed a day of work till health concerns stopped him in his tracks and left us terrified on how he would make ends meet I'm hoping you can find in your heart to donate to help defray medical bills and lost wages while he fights a Grade 4 cancerous kidney tumor.          This means it needs to come out now and there is no time to plan and save for lost work.            

I've never not donated when asked in my life and I cannot thank you enough in advance if this is in your heart.  I have an alarm that goes off on my phone every day at noon to pray for Stephen.  I'll pray for you too -- just let me know.   I hope you never know this feeling of worry, but know that his family loves God and is faithful and we all know God will get us through this.  I'm not going to ask for a specific amount -just what your heart feels is right.  Thank you!

Organizer and beneficiary

Patrice Legg Gay
Organizer
Medford, MA
Susan Parziale
Beneficiary

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