A Marine Family in Need! Please Help!
I have been contacted by one of The Soldiers’ Angels representatives and the call is going out for everyone to help. At this time please understand that no names are to be provided in this post to provide a high degree of safety for the family as their situation is very personal. Also, there are so many bad people out there that would just love to send scum-like cards, and this family just does not need that right now (you remember those cards, don’t you?).
Our Marine family is stationed in Twenty-Nine Palms, CA. They have one son who is 11 years old and one daughter who is 7 years old. They are in desperate need of our prayers, gifts, cards of encouragement, donations, or just more support from the Milblogosphere! Their son was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The reason that donations of money or maybe clothes is important is because for the past three weeks the Dad, our Marine in Need, has been paying for everything out of his own pocket. It just so happens that the government doesn’t move as fast as a family, or the situation, may require - if you’ve served or are serving now, you know this to be true. And, you may also know that all our brave men and women don’t get paid very much, so this hardship is even more acute.
Please take a moment and read the family’s story:
[Marine in Need] is an active duty Marine Staff Sergeant assigned to the 3rd LAR Battalion, Delta Company. He was deployed to Iraq on March 6, 2006 and was out in the Fallujah area. On or about the 1st week of May he was notified by a message from the Red Cross that his son was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer. As hard as it was for him to accept this information, he had to make the toughest decision any Marine must make: to leave his fellow Marines to carry on without him. He returned to the United States to be at his son’s side, and supporting his wife, for the ongoing process of undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
Our [Marine in Need’s] son was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on May 3, 2006 while he was in Iraq. His son had a mass on the right side of his neck that was noticed in November of 2005, and after a biopsy it was found that he had cancer. On May 4, 2006 they had an appointment with a Pediatric Oncologist and that is when their entire situation changed.
Our [Marine in Need’s] son is currently undergoing chemotherapy in the San Diego area at a military hospital. The hospital is about three hours (if traffic is good) from Twenty-Nine Palms where they are currently stationed. The doctor will not allow our [Marine in Need’s] son to travel to Twenty-Nine Palms throughout the length of chemotherapy, which is about six months. The doctor told them that the hospital at Twenty-Nine palms does not have adequate facilities if their son was to get sick. Chemotherapy wipes out one’s immune system; therefore any infection can be fatal.
The need for the this family is immediate. The last three weeks our [Marine in Need] has been paying everything out of his pocket. They have sent their 7 year old daughter to stay with family in Texas so that the Mom and Dad can focus on their son’s health. As far as any of us know, this family is all alone in California - except the biggest family in the world, the United States Marine Corps! Corps takes good care of Corps - but we need to help too! The family needs items like gas cards, gift cards (food), cash donations, cards of encouragement for the family, or drawings from your kids to give to their kids.
Contact me via comments in this post (or my e-mail if ya have it). I’ll provide updates as I receive them.
We really need to get this family some help and some good feelings
We just crossed the Memorial Day line, and we now need to help those in need who are always there ready to help us.
And, spread the word! We need the entire Milblogosphere to get the word out so this family can have a little peace in this very trying time.
UPDATE: Those Helping Us Get the Word Out!
- Soldiers’ Angels - NY
- Chromed Curses
- It’s So Obvious
- A Lady’s Ruminations
- The Uncooperative Blogger
- Mudville Gazette Open Post
- The Voice
- Sister Toldjah Open Post
- Media Lies
- Common Sense America
- The Bullwinkle Blog
- The Florida Masochist
- bRight & Early
- My Country - My View
UPDATE: PLEASE STAND DOWN!
I have been contacted by the Executive Director at Soldiers’ Angels and they have informed me that the Staff Sergeant and his family are overwhelmed! They have had so much support that they’d really appreciate it if we helped out other soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. That said, please see my new post above: Two of California’s Brave Men Need Help
Thanks all of you for your help!
TAGS: Fix4RSO, Milblog, Military, USMC, Help, Soldiers+Angels
May 30th, 2006 at 11:25
Thanks for the information. I am a member of SA letter writing team so will contact my team leader to see if I can get contact info to send a card. Thanks for protecting the marine and his family from nuts. I am quite certain a great number of Soldier’s Angels will be responding to this. In the meantime, prayer will help.
May 30th, 2006 at 11:51
A Marine in Need
G. is a Marine assigned to 3rd LAR Bn Delta Co, Twenty-Nine Palms, California. He was deployed to Iraq on 6 March 2006. On or about the 1st week of May he was notified by a message from the Red Cross that his 11 year old son was diagnosed with Hodgkin…
May 30th, 2006 at 14:09
I am also a SA but send me the info if it is available to you. Since I don’t know all the details, might I suggest to anyone reading this that they contact The Shriner’s and see if there is help available. I have a family member whose child was treated through them and the were amazing! They offered financial help for rooms, food, even gas to get there.
May 30th, 2006 at 14:13
A Marine Family in Need! Please Help!
These people sacrifice so much for the rest of us to live in peace. Please help as much as you can!
From Fix 4 RSO:
I have been contacted by one of The Soldiers’ Angels representatives and the call is going out for everyone to help. At this tim…
May 30th, 2006 at 14:17
Their son is at a Navy Hospital. I was holding specific information in check, just because anyone can come across my web page and put 2-and-2 together. Granted, public schools say that that equals 5, but that is another story.
SK, I’ll get you in touch with the SA California Coordinator for this call for help. She’s got all the extra info and more specifics about the family and the care they are getting.
I’m working under “need to know” constraints placed upon myself. Being ex-USAF and having worked on several sensitive missions, I prefer to know only the important parts of the story that can be shared to such a massive audience …
Thanks for stoppin’ by, SK!!!
May 30th, 2006 at 14:23
A Marine Family in Need! Please Help!
A Marine family is stationed in Twenty-Nine Palms, CA. They have one son who is 11 years old and one daughter who is 7 years old. They are in desperate need of our prayers, gifts, cards of encouragement, donations, or just more support from the Milblog…
May 30th, 2006 at 15:01
[…] Please take a moment and read the family’s story and learn how you can help… […]
May 30th, 2006 at 16:09
Thanks Fix4!
May 30th, 2006 at 21:49
A Marine family in need….
….needs your support in their hour of need. Please read the particulars at Fix 4 RSO. Then give if you feel led to. Pray. Tell your friends. Whateve…
May 31st, 2006 at 2:45
I would like to contribute to this family, please. Plus, I live just outside San Diego, maybe there is a way that could be of some use, as well.
Also, there is another avenue that might be helpful; I’ve had some modest luck there in the past, and it brought one badly wounded Marine friend some extra funds when he needed them. KSON radio station has a program that does that called ‘Operation Helping Hand’. (If you would like more info, please let me know.)
I didn’t think it would work either, when I wrote them, but it did for this one case. They really seem to decide who they picked based on need, as I have submitted others names since, in much better straights, but just soldiers or Marines who I admire (and who could also use the money) but the one time it worked the need was deep. Sounds like ‘A Marine Family in Need’ might be just up their alley. Worth trying!!!!
May 31st, 2006 at 4:22
[…] Cross posted from Fix 4 RSO […]
May 31st, 2006 at 5:53
[…] From Fix 4 RSO [Marine in Need] is an active duty Marine Staff Sergeant assigned to the 3rd LAR Battalion, Delta Company. He was deployed to Iraq on March 6, 2006 and was out in the Fallujah area. On or about the 1st week of May he was notified by a message from the Red Cross that his son was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer. As hard as it was for him to accept this information, he had to make the toughest decision any Marine must make: to leave his fellow Marines to carry on without him. He returned to the United States to be at his son’s side, and supporting his wife, for the ongoing process of undergoing chemotherapy treatments. […]
May 31st, 2006 at 5:55
A Marine family in need
There is a marine who can use your help right now.
May 31st, 2006 at 6:34
For those of you who are part of Soldiers’ Angels, check the forum message boards under the General Section. The info on who to contact is on there.
May 31st, 2006 at 8:02
Hey Fix -
I’m linked. Looking forward to hearing from the SA to let me know where to send items.
May 31st, 2006 at 8:19
Thanks to EVERYONE that is helping out, in their own way. I hope that every little bit of effort, once amassed, helps this one family in huge ways!
Take care and God Bless to all of you!
May 31st, 2006 at 8:35
A Marine Family In Need Of Help!
This is a Cross Post From Fix 4 RSO
Hoping You Can Help!
I have been contacted by one of The Soldiers’ Angels representatives and the call is going out for everyone to help. At this time please understand that no names are to be provided in t…
May 31st, 2006 at 12:16
My financial abilities are beyond meager, but I do have a photoshop, and am a cafepress shopkeeper. I will design and post any design that will help this marine. I will donate 100% of my profits, and/or beseech others to do the same. My e-mail address is: Frankiecee at gmail dot com, and my online shop is at http://www dot cafepress dot com/frankopinions . There is a contact link in there to me. I am in touch with the “Help 4th Recon” benevolent group as well. I am not sure of their scope, but will present them with this information. Thank you for helping our troops.
“Frankly Opinionated” just Goooooooogle me
July 25th, 2006 at 17:24
[…] From Fix 4 RSO [Marine in Need] is an active duty Marine Staff Sergeant assigned to the 3rd LAR Battalion, Delta Company. He was deployed to Iraq on March 6, 2006 and was out in the Fallujah area. On or about the 1st week of May he was notified by a message from the Red Cross that his son was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer. As hard as it was for him to accept this information, he had to make the toughest decision any Marine must make: to leave his fellow Marines to carry on without him. He returned to the United States to be at his son’s side, and supporting his wife, for the ongoing process of undergoing chemotherapy treatments. […]