Dear Mark,
I would like to share a little bit about a patient that I have had the privilege of meeting at the Memorial Health Curtis & Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute (ACI). Mr Dyson has to be the most positive person I have ever met. He is a homeless veteran who served this country in the Marine Corps and was stationed at Camp Lejeune from 1978 to 1980.
Mr. Dyson is a 63-year-old man well known to our staff from his daily prostate cancer treatments that began in July and ended in October 2023.Although he has every reason to, Mr. Dyson doesn’t complain about his situation. He will tell you “I’m alright but you stay safe now.” He has had a lot of obstacles but he always had a smile and a kind word for everyone he saw each morning during his daily radiation treatments at the hospital.
Since I met Mr. Dyson in July, I have been working with his VA Case Worker to obtain safe housing for him. It has been an overwhelming and daunting experience trying to cut through all of the red tape in order to get his application approved for housing. The good news is he has gotten the keys to his NEW APARTMENT! What a Thanksgiving blessing for him. The apartment is not furnished but the VA is providing him with a TV, Computer, Desk and chair to help him with Job applications. He has 2 bags of personal items, and his nurses provided some clothes and toiletries and he is over the moon happy just to have a new fresh start! Among the things they say he needs: towels, linens, cookware, dishes, a bed or aero mattress. Most if not all of these could be provided with gift cards for him to get what he needs.
Also, Mr Dyson would like everyone to know that now that his radiation treatments are complete he is ready and able to get back to work. He would be an amazing asset to any place of business as his charming good-natured spirit is infectious. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share this wonderful person with you and to help in his new transition.
Sincerely,
Lisa Ratner, Oncology Social Worker Memorial Health Curtis & Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute
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