Can You Help? (Freeport, Davis, Dakota, IL)

Women helping others. Please forward to your friends.
I know each of you are under hectic schedules, but I'm passing along a request. This request is not just for you but for your network -- especially in the Davis, Dakota, Freeport etc. area.

I would like to put together a network of women (and men if available) to help a young woman who is working through the trials and tribulations of complications from breast cancer and breast cancer treatment. What is important is nonjudgmental compassion -- she is currently trying some alternative therapy, having done all the conventional medicine. She is currently suffering from lymph -- when the lymph swells and the arm enlarges -- following her surgery for breast cancer. She is in terrible pain and often not able to drive to doctor's appointments. She often can't run the vacuum or clean. She has a cleaning woman once every two weeks, but that is all she can afford. She has young children--- and we all know what that means on a day-to-day basis.

I'd like to see if there are any who can spare time for driving to Dr's appts (Freeport area) or even running the vacuum on occasion. I know we are all at our limits for time, but we would so appreciate if someone would occasionally help us if we were in this situation. This young woman is too proud to ask for help. She doesn't have a large support system. I just feel that she needs to know there are compassionate neighbors willing to pitch in, even for a short time. I'm not asking for money donations, I'm asking for time. Yes -- its a valuable commodity

I'm not in that geographical area, but I'm going to arrange to take her to Chicago appointments when necessary. I'm sure there are some people in church groups or maybe even currently out of work, who could help and she could pay the gas. I am sending her my monthly calendar so if she needs she can schedule appointments on days I'm available to help. This is just a suggestion -- because as I've stated I know you're as busy or more busy than I. But, if you know someone, who knows someone etc etc etc then maybe we can get a small support group together to give her a hand.

Once she is able to get her pain under control, and her lymphedema under control, she will be better able to function. In the meantime, I think she is at her wits end. My heart breaks when I talk to her. It makes me wish I were "next door" and could run over to help. I'm not. But you might know someone who is.
She lives in Davis, IL and her children attend the Dakota schools. They take the bus, but when you're 7 and 10 and younger you don't know how to help when mommy is sick. Who would expect them to.

If you can help me spread the word --- send this email to anyone in the geographical area. Maybe you attend a church in the area and they have a group who might help. I don't know her affiliation --- nor do I care. I know she is a women in need and too proud to ask.

Think about it --- if you want you can do like I am and perhaps can help on a particular day. Let her know if she needed to call on that day you could run an errand or provide a ride. Who knows.
I've told her to start a calendar so that she knows when she needs rides and people can plan. I think she will do that. I've told her I'm giving out her number and if she hears from 'strangers' not to be alarmed. People are always willing to help. If you can, bless you. If you can't -- that's just life and I understand. But you might know someone who can. Her name is Kristin 815-979-8525.
Thanks for taking time to read my rambling ---- and your consideration.
Jan Crawford