In one year we have helped sixteen families, awarded two (soon to be four) scholarships, and organized and implemented numerous fundraisers. Most importantly, we have spread a little bit of love, happiness, and hope amongst the community.
We haven't done it on our own though. There are so many people to thank (other than the obvious family and friends)...here's the running list:
Next Level Extreme Fitness, Ryan Downs and all of the wonderful trainers
Key West Tanning and Fitness, Heidi Dohlman and her amazing staff
Spread the Care Non-Profit, Alan Shakespeare and Lincoln Savings Bank
Cedar Falls Schools, Erin Gardner and the Student Senate
Dunkerton Schools, Justin Urbanek and the Leadership Team
Dunkerton Class of 1999
Craft Cochran
100+ Men Who Care: Cedar Valley Chapter ($10,000 donation)
EVERYONE who has participated in a fundraiser, nominated a family, and cheered us on! THANK YOU!
I am proud of what we have accomplished. I am excited for what is to come. I am honored to be able to do all that Do Better. Be Better. entails. Most importantly, I am humbled. I have been given the opportunity to live with purpose and instill that in our children. We are truly blessed.
This session (session 4) we were able to help eight families. Six were helped from the funds from 100+ Men and two were helped through the blacklight gauntlet at NLXF. Thanks to 100+ Men, we were also able to donate $2000 to the Dunkerton School and Cedar Falls Schools Do Better. Be Better. Scholarship fund.
Please read below to learn about our families and why they needed our help!
JANE CARTER
Jane Carter was diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian Cancer in February
2008. Even with the diagnosis she kept her positive outlook and upbeat
personality. After surgery and chemo treatments the cancer was controlled to
the point where she could discontinue treatments. After two years Jane had to
once again start treatments as the cancer became aggressive again. Once again
she kept her upbeat personality and did not make a big deal out of what she was
going through. She would shrug it off as business as usual. Jane even scheduled
her treatments so she could limit the time she missed from her job at the high
school, along with her work at Scratch Cupcakery, and at the Cedar Falls Rec
Center as a fitness instructor.
After her second round of treatments the cancer was controlled
again. She would always speak highly of the “team” of doctors that she had in
Iowa City along with all the help and support that she was receiving from
family and friends. She would not complain about her situation nor would she
let it slow her down. Even after being told by doctors that this pattern would
continue for many years she kept that same positive attitude.
In 2015 her cancer had become aggressive again which would require
more treatments. This time her chemo would have to change. This new chemo
brought on more challenges and was not as successful at ridding the cancer from
her body. On October 7th of 2015 she suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage which
caused massive bleeding around her brain. She was airlifted to Iowa City where
she underwent multiple surgeries to relieve pressure from her brain and repair
the damaged blood vessels.
After weeks of recovery she was able to go home. During those
weeks Jane and her family found out that her aneurysm was of such a large size,
there was a low survival rate and an even smaller chance of returning to
“normal”. In normal Jane fashion, she was not going to let this be the case.
Jane came through the surgeries and recovery time in a way in which the doctors
told her she must have a lot of guardian angels looking out for her. Her
positive attitude once again helped get her through another tough situation.
Jane has made a great recovery. While she is still
experiencing some difficulties caused by the aneurysm, she has been able to
return back to full time work at all three jobs. There are still many more
doctor visits and hurdle to clear, but Jane’s faith,
family, and friends have helped her through these difficult times and will
continue to help.
AMANDA BEARMAN
Amanda
Bearman began having reoccurring sinus infections in the fall of 2013. Her
doctors thought removing her tonsils would help; however, it did not. Doctors
continued over the next several months to try to clear the infection in her
sinuses with medication, but it was to no avail. In November 2014, Amanda began
to have unexplained soreness in her throat and began to lose her voice. After
further examination, she was diagnosed with Wegener’s Granulomatosis, which in
an inflammation of the blood vessels. She
continued treatment for Wegener’s throughout December; however, her symptoms
were not improving and actually were getting worse. This led her doctors to
believe they may have the wrong diagnosis. Amanda was eventually hospitalized
in Rochester where more testing could be done. The doctors took biopsies and
found that Amanda was suffering from MRSA and Extra nodular NK/T-Cell nasal
type lymphoma. Amanda has been fighting her lymphoma every day since. She has had setbacks but continues to stay strong and fight for herself and her family. On top of her own fight, this summer, Amanda’s Father-in-law developed Creutzfeldt –Jakob disease. This is a degenerative brain disease. He passed away one short month after becoming ill. Amanda and her husband Jim have two very active and beautiful boys, Wyatt who is 5 and Walker who is 2. Above all else, the separation from her boys has been torturous for her. She has felt the power of prayer through this past year and her strong faith and family and community support continue to lift her spirits.
You can follow Amanda's story on Facebook: Team Bearman- Givin' Cancer the Boot
BRIGGS BOCHMANN
Our son Briggs, was welcomed into this world on July 11,
2015 by emergency C-section. He was then immediately flown to Iowa City while
we traveled by ambulance. His lungs were full of fluid and he had to be placed
on a cooling pad for 72 hours and could not be held or stimulated for his first
two of life. He had suffered from a stroke, low oxygen levels, fluid on the
brain (surgery for shunt), low hemoglobin, a heart murmur, and blood clot
within his heart, hemorrhages in both of his eyes, seizures, and feeding problems
leading to a feeding tube placed. Briggs has undergone multiple surgeries, 5
blood transfusions and after 63 days spent in the NICU in Iowa City at the
University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, was able to come home. Briggs’ future
and prognosis are still unknown. We continue to travel to Iowa City for follow
up appointments. ANDREW MORLAN
Andrew Morlan's family: Ron (dad) Karen (mom) Lauren
(sister 17) Abbie (sister 14) Isaac (twin 12). When Andrew was born we
learned his kidneys weren't functioning properly due to a late
Twin-to-Twin transfusion that transferred Andrew's blood to Isaac. After
doing dialysis at home, 8 surgeries (including 2 eye surgeries) he had
his kidney transplant. He was 14 pounds and 14 months old. He will
forever be on medication that will suppress his immune system. Because
of this, he isn't more likely to get sick but when he does get sick it
will be more severe and last longer. Growth has been difficult. Three years ago he had his tonsils removed due to rapid growth. It was found that he had PTLD (post transplant lymphoproliferative disease), an infection of the lymph nodes that can evolve into non-hodgekins lymphoma. He had chemo treatments for this. The treatments were successful however antibodies developed during chemo attacking his kidney causing rejection. He went through a series of treatments and saved the kidney. Again, growth is still an issue so a GTube was placed so that we could supplement his nutrition at night with a feeding machine.
Complicating his weight issues is a new disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis, an immune system disease where we had to eliminate food from his diet. To help his growth we have added growth hormone shots to his bedtime routine. Due to a virus, Andrew recently spent 11 days in the hospital. His varied and complex medical history results in a lot of missed school, blood work, time separated from family and numerous trips to the doctor and hospital. We are so thankful for his care team - 7 different departments & he still loves going to the doctor! We don't have words to express our thanks for everything that everyone has done. Through it all God continues to show Himself faithful.
SHELLIE DOLAN
Shellie graduated from Columbus in 1979. She and her husband Jeff have been married almost 35 years. They have twin daughters, Megan and Lauren age 21, and a son Russ, 30. Both of their girls live in Waterloo and with the help of their significant others, Cody and Reid, they have stepped up to help with the care of their brother. Russ has severe cerebral palsy and lives at home with his parents. Russ has care givers who help, but the majority of his 24 hour care has solely been the responsibility of Shellie and Jeff.
Shellie is employed by CenturyLink in Waterloo but has been unable to work full time since being diagnosed in November. CenturyLink is closing her local office this summer and Shellie will be out of job after 27 years of service.
THE GULICK TWINS: LENNON AND LEYTON
On 10/15/15 Levi and I welcomed our beautiful twins
into the world Lennon Mae and Leyton John.
Born at just 26 weeks, Lennon weighed 1lb. 12oz. and Leyton weighed 2lb.
2oz. We never knew that we could love something so much, our hearts
have never been so full! These two have already changed our lives in
amazing ways!!!
Levi and I CANNOT thank each of you enough for the calls, texts,
messages, cards, flowers, care packages, visits, suppers, and most of
all the prayers! Without the support of all the amazing people around
us, this time in our lives would be even harder! Words will never thank
you enough!
Please keep the prayers coming for Lennon and Leyton that each day they
get bigger, stronger, and healthier!
TROY GRAYBILL
Being a person who is paralyzed, Troy has no feeling in his lower body. So on January 23, 2015, he burned himself trying to relieve back pain with a heating pad. This caused a wound so severe that it covers one whole cheek of his butt. From there, he was hospitalized to treat the wound. He went into septic shock and also suffered a massive heart attack. After 6 weeks of IV daily antibiotics, he was finally well enough to have heart stents placed to help with his damaged heart at The Mayo Clinic.
From there, he has been in the hospital with 5 major infections and is totally bed ridden. He also needs a very lengthy and complicated flap surgery in order to repair the wound. He CANNOT currently have this surgery because he is still too medically unstable. With all of the infections, he has lost weight, his internal organs are not functioning at 100% capacity, and his mental health is also suffering. Troy’s wife, Debbie, lost her job in March which was a devastating blow to lose the sole source of income; however this has allowed her to be a full-time caretaker for Troy.
At this point, they have a limited income (Troy’s social security/disability) yet increased expenses with additional medical costs. In the midst of financial and medical hardship they have kept their head up and handled it with dignity and grace, constantly look at their blessings in life. Troy and Debbie are great people who have fallen on very hard times, yet remain positive and look forward to Troy receiving word from Mayo that he can have the wound surgery which will, in time, allow him to return to an active lifestyle.
REED CROSBY HAVLIK
Reed’s story begins on December 3, 2012, a normal
pregnancy, a normal birth, a normal baby, a normal toddler, and then, on
November 1, 2014, Reed went down for a nap and when he woke, he
struggled to stand and take steps. He was falling a lot and whining, not
crying, but frustrated. The family continued to watch him struggle and
noticed his right foot turning in. After no clear answers as to why this
was happening, Jesse, Erika and Reed headed for Iowa City to see a
neurologist.On February 25, 2015, Reed was diagnosed with Leukodystrophy. Leukodystrophy is a group of disorders characterized by degeneration of the white matter in the brain. The leukodystrophies are caused by imperfect growth or development of the myelin sheath, the fatty covering that acts as an insulator around nerve fibers. Myelin in the central nervous system (CNS) is produced by oligodendrocytes. When damage occurs to white matter, immune responses can lead to inflammation in the CNS, along with loss of myelin which impairs brain function, sight, and motion. Please share and help this amazing family.
Stay up to date with Reed at www.teamreedcrosby.blogspot.com
Facebook- Team Reed
If you in your heart you desire to help even in the tiniest way you can go to: http://www.gofundme.com/osm9qk#
Please consider donating to Leukodystrophy research
https://www.crowdrise.com/findacureforvwm/fundraiser/erikamealhowhavlik
