Help Julie Kick Cancer's Butt!
This is Julie. She likes donuts, especially when she's in the hospital. They taste even better after brain surgery!
I'd like to introduce you to my good friend, Julie. Julie is a single mom of three, grandmother to six, Special Agent for the State of Arizona (LEO), race running addict, chronic smiler, eternal optimist, and non-profit founder.
Julie has recently been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The official pathology report is "glioblastoma mutliforme." While Julie thought she was merely exhausted after a grueling road race, a cancerous tumor the size of a small plum lodged deep in Julie's brain began causing her to feel off-balance and weak. She quickly loss sensation in her left arm and leg and was taken to the hospital. Brain surgery to remove the mass from her right parietal lobe was done, which confirmed the cancer was aggressive and would recur. They have given Julie less than one-and-half years to live.
Julie remains upbeat.
Despite all this, Julie remains positive. She has tremendous and unwavering faith, loyal and constant friends, a supportive and hopeful family, and she is determined to fight. While Julie has insurance through her job, there are always going to be limitations to coverage. Maximums and out-of-pocket expenses are already adding up. She needs 30 courses of chemotherapy and radiation, at the same time. One course of medication is $12,000 (yep, that's twelve thousand American dollars), and as of now, has not been approved by her insurance carrier.
The prospect of facing 30 simultaneous radiation and chemotherapy treatments is daunting. But Julie is taking those in-stride. She is, however, growing concerned about the tens of thousands of dollars in mounting and unplanned expenses. Co-pays, coinsurance, travel costs, lost wages, and premiums payments are adding-up. These constant draws on Julie's bank account are simply a worry she doesn't need right now. What would help Julie the most is a little bit of financial security for herself and her kids. Monies donated would certainly help her now, but they will also offer some serenity for Julie and her family in the future. You have the power to give her some peace of mind. Any amount you donate will only help Julie in her fight to stay alive and Kick Brain Cancer's Butt!
Need More Reasons to Donate to Julie?
When Julie's not busy with the day-to-day obligations of caring for her own family, she devotes endless hours to helping military families. After her oldest son enlisted, she became a tireless advocate for members of the United States Coast Guard. Julie has done outreach through social media and Facebook pages for the last eight years. In addition, she is one of the founders of the Coast Guard Family Assistance Fund (CGFAF). Since 2012, the CGFAF has donated monies to hundreds of families facing financial hardship, no questions asked. All told, Julie's volunteer efforts have positively affected the lives of thousands of Coast Guard families.
Other Ways You Can Help.
If you're not the donating type, I get it. Not everyone has extra money. Just know that there are other ways you can help people, like Julie, who have brain cancer. First, take the time to learn more about cancers, especially brain cancers (https://bit.ly/1HLrv5z). Then, if you have the time, volunteer with a local organization dedicated to fighting cancer. One of the best ways is to lend a hand to those who are actively battling cancer. Hospice or palliative care programs in your area are great sources of information and might offer opportunities for volunteerism.
Be like Julie, volunteer your time and energy to helping others.
Thank You!
On a personal note, I really struggled with this process. This is my first GoFundMe campaign, and it quickly dawned on me how difficult it is to distill someone's life and worth down to a soundbite or a few lines of a GoFundMe story. I keep coming back to one overriding thought: this shouldn't be necessary. The prospect of losing my friend, or any loved one to cancer (especially brain cancer), well... it just plain sucks. People like Julie need help to wage the fight of their lives. And, really, the truth of the matter is that there aren't enough pages, pictures, or prose that I could post here that would adequately describe the kind of person Julie is, or how much she means to so many people. Those that know her understand what I'm talking about.
So, I'll just close by expressing my sincere gratitude for each of you. On behalf of Julie and all the many, many people who love her and are better for having her in our lives, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this GoFundMe and even considering donating to help Julie. She is truly amazing and rest-assured any monies you decide to donate will be greatly appreciated.
Love to all,
Michael
