San Angelo, Texas - Newspaper Page Devoted To Bake Sales and Fundraisers To Cover Medical Expenses

[TomCADem]

This is both sad and hopeful. I am glad that this local newspaper is helping out residents by publishing fundraisers and bakesales to help people cover their medical expenses. However, it is kind of sad that this practice is so widespread.

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2009/jul/19/tennis-coach-loves-his-reworked-yard/

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DONNIA ROBLES

Donnia Robles has endured more challenges in the past two years than most people experience in a lifetime: Kidney failure. A successful kidney transplant. Diabetes. Hip replacement. A transplant failure scare.

And now, more hip problems. After a medical leave for hip surgery, Robles returned to her Tom Green County job June 28 but was forced to resign a week later because of excruciating pain in her “good” hip.

“I talked to my hip surgeon, and he said I should stay off of it for awhile,” Robles said. “I can’t afford to have it go out on me. I talked to my kidney transplant team, and they said I can’t have another hip surgery so soon.”

Robles said she loved her job as a clerk in Justice of the Peace Fred Buck’s office and hated leaving.

“Quitting was hard,” she said. “I really couldn’t afford to leave. Now, having to depend on others for help is hard, too.”

Despite assistance from insurance and other sources, her medical bills are very high.

“I don’t know how we’re going to make it,” Robles said. The good news is, her new kidney “is doing fine,” Robles said, and her replaced hip “is coming along very well.”

“We’re very blessed,” she said. “My husband (Juan) is great to me and helps me so much. We have great friends and great support, healthwise.”

To make ends meet, Robles is falling back on a plan she used to raise money for her kidney transplant. Her benefits and fundraisers generated about $17,000 for the 2008 operation.

She already has planned a bake sale at the 29th Street Wal-Mart for Sept. 19. She’s also looking into holding a car wash or raffle and putting donation jars in area businesses.

“If anyone has any fundraising ideas, please contact me,” she said. “I’m running out of ideas.”

Before she had her kidney transplant, a hospital social worker told Robles fundraising would be a lifelong chore for her.

“I didn’t believe it at the time,” she said, “but now I do. I just don’t know what else to do.”

Robles can be contacted at 234-2230, 658-1312 or [e-mail].

Charlie Bowers

A recent garage sale to benefit Knickerbocker resident Charlie Bowers raised $2,240.25, said organizer Fran Hedrick.

“It was far more than I expected,” said Hedrick, who also lives in Knickerbocker.

“There were people coming in, not buying anything but bringing us checks for donations. Or they’d buy something and say, ‘Keep the change for Charlie.’”

One man bought $50 worth of tools and handed Hedrick a check for $100.

Bowers was badly burned in a May 11 electrical accident. He spent almost two months in a Dallas hospital and returned home only a week ago.

“When we took the money from the garage sale to him, I said, ‘Here’s a little package of community love,’” Hedrick said.

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[Ilsa]

1. It seems like almost every business I walk into has signs for

Health care fundraisers. They might even have insurance.

The one I didn't contribute to was for a family that lived in the country club area. They had the ability to scale down to a smaller house which was still better than anything I've ever lived in.

San Angelo is just too close to W.'s Midland for my tastes.