Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 3, 1995 TAG: 9501040045
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Hope Crump planned to give her mom a "mother's ring" for Christmas, but the ring still was on layaway at Saslow's Jewelry when the holiday came.
Hope never made the final $82 payment to redeem it.
On Dec.6, the 14-year-old learned the origin of the recent headaches that made her want to miss classes at Jackson Middle School and kept her out of physical-education activities when she did attend.
She had a brain tumor and needed surgery right away.
A week later, in a 101/2-hour operation at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, a malignant tumor was removed.
Hope's illness created a domino effect that dimmed the holiday outlook for her and her mother.
Debra Crump had just gone to work as a weaver's helper at Precision Fabrics Inc. in Vinton in October, meaning she hadn't been there long enough to have vacation time or be eligible for family leave to be with her daughter.
In fact, Debra was trying so hard not to miss work that her sister took Hope to the first doctor's visit about the headaches.
But, after the diagnosis, Debra Crump knew she had to make a choice.
She opted to be with the teen-ager she still calls ``my baby.''
That's how the Crump mother and daughter came to be looking at Christmas from a tough perch. It appeared the job was gone; there was no insurance; and they needed to pay their $250 rent by Dec.23 or face eviction.
None of that's true anymore.
A lot of people talk and write about angels these days, but Debra and Hope have one.
``I didn't really want to go to Donna,'' Debra Crump said. ``But it was so sweet what she did.''
Donna is Donna Jackson, a labor-relations supervisor for Norfolk Southern Corp., who has raised $5,011 for the Hope Crump Fund on deposit at Central Fidelity Bank.
``Debra had mentioned that she needed some money, but said she wanted to do it herself,'' Donna said. The Crump family didn't qualify for any special help, however, so Donna got busy and drafted a memo to her fellow workers at NS.
``I don't know anybody rich, but I can raise money,'' she said.
Donna has been Hope's Big Sister since they were matched by Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Roanoke Valley Inc. six years ago.
``We used to go everywhere when I was younger,'' Hope said Thursday.
Donna, now married to Wade Jackson, is the mother of 21/2-year-old Connor and just days away from delivering a daughter.
Even as Donna's family grew and Hope was distracted by teen things, they usually got together once a week to do homework or eat Chinese food.
``I know it's getting close to Christmas and we've all given to many things and are probably getting a little low on cash ourselves, but any donation, however small, would at least keep a roof over this family's head during a very stressful time,'' read part of Donna's Dec.20 note to co-workers.
Two days later, she had raised $2,000, and other good things were happening for Hope and Debra Crump.
Precision Fabrics called to say it would try to have a job for Debra when she was ready to return to work. The rent was paid, and best of all, Hope was home from the hospital.
Hope had a new hairdo because of the surgery, but it still looked stylish, and she is scheduled to start radiation treatments soon - but the Crumps had a real Christmas.
``You learn who your friends are at times like this,'' Debra Crump said.
Hope's guidance counselor and principal at Jackson Middle School helped provide Debra, who has no car, with transportation. A food basket, music cassettes and a table-top tree arrived from Hope's former classmates at Addison Middle School, and cards came in volume from students at Jackson.
Christmas gifts for Hope included a ring, a watch, a bracelet and clothes. Financial worries are diminishing. Debra Crump has applied for Medicaid to help with the hospital bills, and she expects some medical expenses to be covered by her insurance at work.
``Everyone's been so great,'' said Debra Crump, who still hasn't received her mother's ring present.
For her, the only unfinished business is Hope's recovery.
``I just want my baby to grow up and be able to go to college,'' she said.
by CNB