Annual Report Issue #8 • Summer 2017
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annual report Issue #8 • Summer 2017 It really is the thought that counts As told by mom Lisa Photos: Beaton Photography Photos: “Your daughter has a brain tumor. There is no other way to say it.” n early March of 2016, Abbey started getting nauseated, That news took our breath away. About half an hour later but it was during cold and flu season so we didn’t pay they brought her out of the MRI and we were too afraid to too much attention to it. Then, she had a sinus infection even tell her. The doctor told her about the tumor, and they that was treated, but she still had headaches and was still ambulanced her to Denver. (continued on page 4) Ifeeling nauseous. She also started closing one eye. I wasn’t sure if one of her eyes was drooping or if she was closing it on purpose. When I asked her, she said that she had double vision, so we took her into urgent care. They were trying to set up a neurology appointment, but being in North Platte, the neurologist couldn’t see anyone under 18 years old and it was almost closing time. At that point I knew that something was wrong and I said to my husband, “I really think we need to go to Children’s,” and he said, “Let’s take her to the E.R. first.” We went to the emergency room and the doctor there agreed to do the MRI that night. Abbey was only in there 10 minutes before the radiologist came out and walked right past us. A few minutes later the doctor came over and sat down and said, “Your daughter has a brain tumor. There is no other way to say it.” I’m sure he wished there was. There With Care Annual Report • Summer 2017 • therewithcare.org 1 from our executive director amilies in a medical crisis have so much on their Care bags are all made by groups of volunteers who plates as they face overwhelming days filled with come from businesses, volunteer and book clubs, school Fappointments, treatments and caring for their groups, social clubs and more. Each bag includes a signed critically ill child. This happens while they are often note from the volunteers, every stuffed animal delivered balancing the loss of one parent’s income to care for their includes a Stuffie Story note from one child to another, child, in addition to providing for the needs of their other and many of the groceries are delivered in thoughtfully children. decorated grocery bags. In our twelfth year of providing care to families and Monthly soups are made by Big Red F Restaurants, children facing critical illness, we are humbled by the Mother’s and Father’s Day bags are created by Bin Blessed, genuine connections each day between the beautiful holiday and birthday gift drives were held by Stephen families we serve and our generous community. Tebo of Tebo Properties, food drives were done by U.S. At There With Care, our goal is to be a quiet support for a Engineering, Crock Pot meals are made at Team Chop by family when they are in the most frightening time in their volunteers from Flatirons Subaru, Todd Reed, Elevations lives, to relieve some of their daily stresses. To give them Credit Union and more. These are just some of the ways more time with their children. To help them get to the the community sends their care to a family. other side. When these connections take place between our I recently had the privilege of spending time with one community and the families each day, the families are parent who talked with me about how they felt alone embraced and held on their journey. We are dedicated to during the serious illness of their daughter. He shared helping families, melding them with the community that that during times when things improved with her, There cares about them and helping each family get to the other With Care was quiet and steady in the background and as side, wherever that takes them. things became more serious, There With Care was there once again. It was the right care they needed for their With gratitude, family and he shared that they have never felt alone. When volunteers are making deliveries, they are bringing the community to families, surrounding them when they often feel isolated. There are many ways the community sends support to a family. Paula DuPre’ Pesmen Executive Director Paula with Cate and Her Homemade Stuffie Stories, Soon to be New Friends Carly and Addie from Centauras High School Pot Holders to go to Families with for Patients, Made by Mackintosh Delivering Decorated Grocery Bags for Family Crock Pot Meals Academy Students Deliveries with Millicent 2 The AnnualThere ReportWith Care is published Annual Report once yearly • Summer by There 2017 With • Caretherewithcare.org • Issue #8, Summer 2017 from our development director hen my daughter was an 8-year-old Brownie Girl Scout, we found ourselves one Saturday morning at a hospital’s Wneonatal intensive care unit, helping serve soup to families who found it nearly impossible to leave their children. Frightful times. Our entire troop pitched in, and it was a Saturday they didn’t soon forget. That was my family’s first touch with There With Care, nearly 10 years ago, and we didn’t know yet that I would soon be on staff, helping to widen the circle of care we provide each day, month, and year. And it wasn’t just a Scouting push: we recruited friends, neighbors, and business friends to events—and soon we were walking billboards for There With Care. Today, I feel so fortunate to share our work with so many people in our community, and to help them get involved the way that works for them. They might form groups to: assemble Easy Meal Care Bags, hold cereal drives, donate Legos, volunteer at an event, provide financial support through friend-raisers, knit baby blankets, and the list goes on. As we’ve learned, the love and kindness that is evident daily within the There With Care Community is deeply felt by the more than 130 families that we serve each day. The 2,700 families that we have had the honor of helping have often shared with us how much it means to them to know that there is a community of people out there who are thinking about them. With every delivery, the families feel the care and know that they are not alone. And that’s because it comes straight from your hearts. We feel so fortunate to see the goodness in people every day and want to thank you all for truly being There With Care. Looking ahead, I would love to share a cup of coffee or tea with you and speak with you about how you, your family, your neighbors and your community can get more involved. Please email or text me. Nearly 600 families will be served in 2017, and they need your help. We are so grateful for your generous and continued support. Scout’s Honor! Warmly, Dana Bacardi Vice President of Development 303-447-2273 office / 303-669-2150 cell / [email protected] Top to Bottom: Brownies Serving Up Soup At The Soup Station, Avery Donating Her Spring Break Cereal Drive Items, Kelli and Irish Donating Legos for Kids, CU Football Team Service Day Helping in the Warehouse, Boys Team Charity Making Art Activity Kits There With Care Annual Report • Summer 2017 • therewithcare.org 3 It really is the thought that counts (continued from page 1) Abbey and I got to Denver about 2:00 a.m. and we met a doctor who BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board Chairperson Pam Bernal gave me some pretty iffy information. She told me Abbey had a brain Board Director Michael Barnathan tumor, that all brain tumors are cancerous, none of them are curable Board Director Amy Carpenter and that they are all very aggressive. Board Director Chris Columbus Board Director Dave Davia Abbey had surgery a few days later, but even through surgery, as her Board Director Paula DuPre’ Pesmen parent wanting to take care of her and not wanting to see her suffer, I Board Director Geoffrey Hansen was thinking why are we even doing this if she’s going to die? Why are Board Director Kirsten Heckendorf we making her go through all of this? Why can’t we just give her the Board Director Jody Mathie, M.D. steroids, make her feel better? The surgeon came in after the surgery Board Director Diane Nelson Board Director Mimi Roberson and was upbeat and said, “She’s doing great! She’s going to recover and Board Director Jacqueline van Someren she’s doing fantastic.” And he looked at me and said, “How are you ADVISORY BOARD doing?” I said, “I’m not doing well at all.” He said, “Why? We’re going Jane Butcher, Adam Fell, Daphne A. Haas-Kogan, Anne Hanson, to cure this.” I was just stunned. I couldn’t talk. Wendy Kahn, Mary Lee, Tommi McHugh, Devon Murray, Caritina Yanez, He left the room and the nurse came in and I said, “That’s the first Dr. Julie Zimbelman time anyone has said that to us. I thought she was dying.” About 15 STAFF minutes later, the doctor came back in and said, “Who told you that?” Executive Director Paula DuPre’ Pesmen Vice President of Development Dana Bacardi Then, our whole world changed again; it was hard to process it all Events Director Shanna Lawless really.