Recycle Cell Phones to Help Families Battling Cancer
(Photo: eye of einstein)
When I spoke to Dawn yesterday, I did find out Jeff’s results from his one-year post-transplant doctor visit.
Dawn told me, “Jeff’s doctor said: ‘Today is a GOOD DAY’.” Jeff is in remission.
Today is a very good day!
Give a loved one a big hug.
Cells for Cells announces the winner our it’s first Extreme Medical Bill Makeover giveaway.
Dawn and Jeff Wooten of Wichita, Kansas will receive a check from Cells for Cells for $500 to spend as they need as they battle cancer and will receive $500 in services/consulting from Your Wellness Connection in Shawnee, Kansas.
Congratulations!
Here’s their story:
On October 4, 2006 my husband Jeff was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (a cancer of the plasma cells). What was so shocking about this, besides getting a cancer diagnosis, is that he was only 37 years old. This is a cancer that is most common in people over the age of 65. At the time of his diagnosis, we were living our dream in Alaska. We owned a small business and had decided that it was a good time for me to go to college full time. Because we owned our own business, we didn’t have any health insurance, but we were both young and healthy and weren’t all that concerned about it.
Living in Alaska has its perks; however, state-of-the-art cancer treatment wasn’t one of them. On October 18, 2006 we were on a plane heading back to Wichita, KS so we could be near family and meet with some doctors here. They told us that Jeff’s bone marrow was 80% cancer and there was no way we were going back home. With the help of our friends, we sold our house and put our belongings in storage. We moved in with Jeff’s parents and got to work fighting this disease.
Over the course of the past two and a half years, Jeff has participated in clinical trials, undergone two heavy rounds of chemotherapy, and had two stem cell transplants. It was almost a year into his treatment before we found an insurance company who was willing to insure him. It wasn’t cheap, but was something we desperately needed.
This cancer diagnosis changed every aspect of our lives. Suddenly we found our priorities changing. Things that used to seem so important just weren’t anymore. We decided to stop saying “some day we want to do this” or “someday we want to go there” and we started taking small weekend trips just to get away from it all and spend time together. We didn’t know how much time we had left together so we just started making memories.
We had so many people reach out to us and want to help us, and I soon realized how much I wanted to help other people as well. I involved myself with the American Cancer Society and sat on the committee to help plan the Cattleman’s Ball. We started going to support group meetings at a local organization called Victory in the Valley. I volunteered some time working in their office and it wasn’t long before I was asked to head the support group meetings. Unfortunately, our small group started to fall apart so we no longer meet. I am still the contact person for all new myeloma patients and family members if they would like to talk to someone who understands what they are going through. I also learned of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and contacted them. I was amazed at how much they do to help people with blood cancers in our communities. I signed our family up as a team to help raise money for Light the Night. In 2007, Team Wooten raised almost $7,500 for LLS. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was and how grateful I felt to all those who supported us. I continue to stay involved with Light the Night, even though we haven’t come close to that number again!
We just celebrated Jeff’s 40th birthday this past weekend (his birthday is March 3rd). Two and a half years ago we were told that we might only have six more months together. In one week we have his one year post-transplant doctor appointment and are crossing our fingers that we hear the words “Congratulations, you are still in remission!” In honor of this milestone, I have decided to cut and donate my hair to help give another woman her confidence back.
We look at everyone we meet so differently now. You can’t tell just by looking at us that we struggle with this thing every day. There is no cure for Jeff’s cancer. We know it’s going to come back. We just don’t know when and that is always with us. All we can do is be kind to one another, smile at a stranger, and give back whenever we can.
That is our story. I don’t know if this is what you are looking for or not, but I still wanted to share it with you. Thank you for taking the time to read it.
Sincerely,
___________________________________________
If helping families devastated by medical bills is worthwhile to you, please join us in this historical endeavor by recycling your cell phones with Cells for Cells.
Most importantly, if you know a deserving family, battling cancer, who desperately needs help paying medical bills (perhaps it’s your family or a co-worker’s), please put them in touch with Cells for Cells.
UPDATED STORY
I am a little bit sorry that we were not able to give away the $100 last Friday (2-27-09) as nobody submitted their story about fighting cancer. So, we are bumping it up to $500 to be given away on March 31, 2009.
UPDATE 3-25 Your Wellness Connection has added $500 in services to this giveaway.
I don’t know if we can call it Extreme Medical Bill Makeover; but that is the idea we are going for.
As part of our new One Million Cells program, Cells for Cells will choose one deserving and inspirational family that is battling cancer and write them a check for $500.
Here are the rules. Please follow them perfectly. (The rules are subject to change at any time, so check back often for updates):
Request your free FedEx label here
MOST IMPORTANTLY Spread the word. The more cell phones Cells for Cells recycles, the more families we will help.
Cells for Cells will choose one family as the winner of this giveaway. If Cells for Cells chooses your story, we will contact you via email or phone. Please include your phone number in your email. We will write the check directly to the individual (until our legal team tells us to do it another way). That way, you can apply the $500 to your medical bills or associated costs as you see necessary. [Medical Bills and costs can be: doctor’s bill, pharmacy bill, mortgage payment, gas for your car, flowers for a loved one, etc.]
***Shipping notes
Shipping about 10 phones will cost you between $5 – $10 dollars via the post office. To avoid this, let your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc. know that you are participating in this giveaway. Have them help you get more than 10 phones and then request a FREE shipping label.
***Other notes
By participating, you give Cells for Cells permission to use your story to promote Cells for Cells, Recycling, Cancer Patient advocacy, etc. You may have to provide other info as required by our legal team – I’ll get that answer asap.
SEE UPDATED POST Now that we have bumped it up to $500
Cells for Cells is giving $100 to help someone pay their medical bill. [At Cells for Cells, we define “medical bill” a little differently, so keep reading.] We will write a the first check for someone on Friday 2-27-09.
As part of our new One Million Cells program, Cells for Cells will help pay medical bills of families battling cancer. We are starting small and plan on being able to give more money to more families.
We want to give to families that are the most deserving and the most inspirational as they fight this very tough battle.
Here are the rules. Please follow them perfectly. (The rules are subject to change at any time, so check back often for updates):
Request your free FedEx label here
PLEASE NOTE – we are giving away $100 this Friday 2-27-09. If you don’t have an opportunity to send a cell phone to recycle, just promise to do so as soon as you can.
MOST IMPORTANTLY Spread the word. The more cell phones Cells for Cells recycles, the more families we will help.
If Cells for Cells chooses your story, we will contact you via email or phone. Please include your phone number in your email. We will write the check directly to the individual (until our legal team tells us to do it another way). That way, you can apply the $100 to your “medical bills” as you see necessary. [Medical Bills: doctor’s bill, pharmacy bill, mortgage payment, gas for your car, flowers for a loved one, etc.]
Thank you for Recycling Because You Care!
Very Sincerely,
Jason Clements