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Here is the update that was sent out Dec 22 (edited for names)
Yesterday, representatives from the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Citizenship Services came to D’s hospital room. D is now a proud citizen of the United States of America. He will soon be eligible for Medicaid. The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, Florida, has officially accepted D as a charity case. He will receive all his treatment, including allogeneic bone marrow transplant, there without charge.
We have so many people to thank. It is amazing that in just four days D's story moved such a large number of people. The unselfish actions of so many have reminded us that people are really naturally good at heart and we are never alone no matter how bad our circumstances may be.
The effort all began by contacting a few key people. Then suddenly we had an entire community mobilized to help one individual. For instance, yesterday I called the business office at Moffitt Cancer Transplant Center, on behalf of D, to confirm that all his treatment would be covered as a charity case. When I asked who was responsible for putting all this together, the clerk laughed and said, "There are so many people who want to help D and who have been working to make this happen. The list is too long to say." D and all of us are so grateful to everyone at Moffitt and want to thank D's Hematologists, Doctor F and Doctor G for leading the effort.
United States Congressman D and his staff took a very personal interest in D. Their work was extremely valuable and all of this could not have happened without their willingness to help save D. Doctor R and his wife Mrs. R gave us daily guidance in how to proceed and put us in contact with influential leaders in the community. D has a great deal of love for the R family and their personal visits and calls meant so much to him. D is so grateful to E M and D D for their support and the fantastic website they created for him. We hope that they are forever blessed for what they did for D.
Doctor E F made available to me his personal contacts and gave us constant guidance. I must have called and emailed him a hundred times and each time he went beyond what was expected to help this effort and to keep us positive. Our deepest respect and gratitude go out to him.
Doctor T S and Doctor N P gave me access to the Ross community, and as individuals, gave us their personal support and guidance. The first person to call me after we had this good news was Doctor S.
M P and Doctor E P offered options that helped to keep our hopes alive.
The Miami Herald published an article that brilliantly captured with only a few words, D's personality, his life, and his current struggle. The reporter's words were so moving that a few minutes after the article was released we received a flood of emails, calls, and personal visits. D's story also appeared on the local news and on Spanish language national news. The words, prayers, and donations that followed have and will continue to be an enormous source of strength and inspiration for D as he battles his disease.
We want to thank E and G E for their $10,000 donation to D's Hospital. As you may know, beside their involvement in the entertainment industry, they are among the most influential leaders in the Miami community. Another influential leader from South Florida who helped us was Doctor R R. He contacted other leaders, giving more strength to this effort. They are examples of what true leadership is. It is more than merely making decisions—it is caring about how those decisions affect the people whose lives are changed by them.
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04-25-2008, 07:56 PM
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