Homeless with cancer stricken daughter

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez21-2008dec21,0,4554051.column

For mother, daughter, tough times get far tougher
The Himmels are used to the hard life, living in an SUV while trying to get back on their feet. When Destiny, 16, was diagnosed with leukemia, their prospects went from bad to miserable.

Steve Lopez
December 21, 2008

So you think you've got it bad this holiday season? Here's a story that will put things in perspective for you, no matter how grim your job prospects or how invisible your shrinking retirement fund.

The other day, at their invitation, I met Kerry Himmel, an unemployed truck driver, and her 16-year-old daughter, Destiny, at a McDonald's on Ventura Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley.

But they weren't there to eat. That's where they live.

For about two years, mother and daughter have been anchored in that McDonald's parking lot, living in their Ford Explorer and avoiding eviction by moving now and then to a nearby Ralph's parking lot. They favor the McDonald's, though, because there's a bathroom with an outdoor entrance.

As if that weren't miserable enough, the situation got much, much worse in April.

"Whenever I stood up, things started getting blurry for a second," said Destiny

**************

On Thursday afternoon, Destiny had a pain therapy session at Children's Hospital. While I was there with her and Kerry, I got an unrelated e-mail from Andy Bales, who runs the Union Rescue Mission and Hope Gardens, a transitional residence for formerly homeless women and children located in the northern foothills of the San Fernando Valley.

I e-mailed him back about the Himmels and asked if he might have a spare room. Bales checked and said he can accommodate the Himmels, at least temporarily. Kerry Himmel told me she'd take a look at Hope Gardens this week, and at any other offers that come her way.

[Fumesucker]

1. I'm flat amazed that McDonalds lets them park overnight..

I hope the manager doesn't get canned for letting this happen.

[earth mom]

2. Why hasn't St. Jude's hospital helped them?

:wtf:

Financial Responsibility
All patients accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard to the family's ability to pay. St. Jude covers all costs of treatment at St. Jude beyond those reimbursed by third-party insurers, and total costs at St. Jude when no insurance is available. St. Jude also provides assistance with transportation costs and local living expenses during treatments (see Travel and Where to Stay in Related Topics).

http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=4ca56f9523e70110VgnVCM1000001e0215acRCRD&vgnextchannel=f23fbfe82e118010VgnVCM1000000e2015acRCRD


I hope someone gets this info to them! :cry:

[Selatius]

3. In the industrialized world, only in the US would homelessness and leukemia be a near death sentence

The US is broken in so many ways.

[katandmoon]

4. Heartbreaking.