One evening last spring, my husband Bryant came home from his job as an engineer complaining of some soreness in his back and chest. He thought it was just stress and tight muscles, so he took some ibuprofen and went to bed.
But the next day it got worse. We went to the doctor, and they found a growth in his chest. This started us on a long road of tests, scans, a biopsy, surgery, and finally a diagnosis of testicular cancer.
Bryant went through 12 long weeks of chemotherapy, and we hoped that our battle was over. But because this type of cancer is so rare, our local oncologist sent us to a specialist at the Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis. There we found out that Bryant’s cancer had returned, and that he would need high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation. This meant that we would need to stay in Indianapolis for 6-8 weeks.
With both of us taking time off from work and continuing expenses at home, we knew our budget would be very tight. But a wonderful organization called Fair Haven stepped in and provided us with a fully-furnished apartment across the street from the hospital, at no charge.
And they didn’t stop there- their volunteers have brought meals, cleaned the apartment for me, and even helped me do laundry. It has been an absolute lifesaver for us, and now I want to do something to pay it forward for the next cancer patient and their family that needs a place to stay.
Through your support, Fair Haven provides a home-away-from-home for families battling a serious illness. Bring hope to families today with your gift of support.