ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 1, 1997 TAG: 9701020044
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
COLUMN: The Good Neighbors Fund
SOURCE: BETSY BIESENBACH STAFF WRITER
In many ways, Justin (not his real name) is like any other 2-year-old. He runs around his family's living room, chasing balls and crashing his toy cars together. He seems to be everywhere at once as he rolls and tumbles and jumps, his bright red hair flying.
"He's a typical boy," said his mother, Karen (not her real name).
But Justin has a severe life-threatening disease, and Karen has to watch him every moment to make sure he doesn't injure himself.
Because of the problems associated with his disease, it's hard to find anyone to baby-sit him.
"A lot of people are afraid to watch him," she said. So Karen has been unable to work while his illness has completely drained the family finances.
Before Justin was diagnosed, Karen and her husband, Steve (not his real name), thought all their dreams were finally coming true.
Steve had a new job, making more money than ever. It was enough so that Karen could stay home and take care of Justin. They had even set aside some savings, and they used the money to start building a new home.
To make their old home more salable, they put in $4,000 worth of improvements, things they had put off doing while living there.
"We thought we had financial security for the rest of our lives," Karen said. "We thought it was a good investment."
But this summer, Steve was laid off.
"If we knew that was going to happen, we would have used the money to pay down bills," Karen said.
Then Justin's doctors discovered his illness. It's a fairly rare disease, Karen said, and can sometimes cost up to $33,000 a year to treat. As Justin gets older, his medical costs may be as much as $65,000 a year. Although the family is paying nearly $300 a month into Steve's former employer's insurance program for Justin, it doesn't cover everything.
Karen has applied for Supplemental Security Income for him, but was turned down. She plans to appeal the ruling, she said.
They lost the house they were building. In October, after their savings were used up and they had cashed in both of their IRAs, Karen went to Roanoke Area Ministries for help with the electric bill.
"I was a little embarrassed," she said. "We've never had to ask for help before."
There she was given a grant from the Emergency Financial Assistance program, which is supported by The Roanoke Times' Good Neighbors Fund. Caseworkers at RAM assured her that she was deserving. "They told me it's for people that fall between the cracks," she said.
By December, Steve found a new job. It doesn't pay as much as the old one, Karen said, but the family's biggest worry is that when he has finished his probationary period, his new employer's insurance company may refuse to cover Justin.
"That's the thing that really scares me," Karen said. "I don't know what will happen if they do."
Tuesday's contributors included:
Hardee's Brambleton Avenue Breakfast Club, in memory of Paul Cornett and Guy Slusher
Nancy Karnes
George A. Shelor
Peter and Jenny Chapman, in memory of Adam Sweet
Peter and Jenny Chapman, in memory of Jesse Chapman
Bobbie and Ted Cundiff
Dr. Daniel R. Jones, in honor of his patients, partners and staff at Parkway Physicians
Gene and Ann Orr, in memory of their parents
NON-ANONYMOUS DONATIONS$775.00
ANONYMOUS DONATIONS$0.00
SUBTOTAL$775.00
TOTAL AS OF 12/31/96$90,283.62
Checks should be made payable to Good Neighbors Fund and mailed to The Roanoke Times, P.0. Box 1951, Roanoke 24008.
Names - but not amounts of donations - of contributing businesses, individuals or organizations, as well as memorial and honorific designations, will be listed in the newspaper. Those requesting that their names not be used will remain anonymous. If no preference is stated, the donor's name will be listed.
Gifts cannot be earmarked for any particular individual or family. Gifts are tax-deductible.
LENGTH: Medium: 84 linesby CNB