Dear Mark and River Listeners
I would like to share a little bit about a patient that I have had the privilege of meeting at the Memorial Health Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute (ACI). RL has got to be the most positive person I have ever met. Actually, she will tell you that she’s not positive and she is “faithful” and then she’ll explain the difference. I would meet with her after radiation treatments for supportive visits and I ended up being the one that always felt better after speaking with her.
RL is a 53-yaear-old woman well known to from treatment in 2015 for breast cancer. She then developed metastatic disease involving her bones in 2016. More recently she had repeat imaging due to back pain and they found new lesions.
RL never complains about her situation and will tell you that her strength comes from her faith. She worries more about her family than herself.She has a special needs son that worries about her so much and she loves him very much. She also has a mother who is ill and in a nursing home.
RL has a lot of obstacles but always has a smile and a kind word for everyone she meets.
I want to give RL and her family an amazing Christmas. I know that they struggle with rent/mortgage and utilities throughout the year so any gift cards for that would be appreciated. RL could also use a Target and/or Walmart gift card to purchase new close, along with gas cards and cards for groceries.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to share this wonderful person’s story with you.
Sincerely,
Lisa Ratner, MSW, LMSW
Oncology Social Worker
Memorial Health Anderson Cancer Institute
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