Anna has lived in Bellevue for 10 years and enjoys her long-term job at a local Starbucks. Anna and her children have recently been through a devastating ordeal that changed their lives forever. Your support of Bellevue LifeSpring provided a beacon of hope for this family:
About two years ago my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. During Roy’s battle with cancer we made many sacrifices. Holidays and birthdays were really difficult. We didn’t have extra money for holidays or birthdays. I felt like a big black cloud hung over us almost every day.
When Roy lost his battle with cancer, we were devastated. I felt so alone. It was a strange experience, having all eyes on you when tragedy hits, watching to see what you’ll do, how you will cope and keep it together. It was a hard thing to live up to in some of the darkest days of my life.
It was the support of Bellevue LifeSpring and our community that gave us hope and a second chance on life. During our fight with cancer, we didn’t have a lot of money, and were fortunate enough to participate in the Breaktime-Mealtime™ program for food during school breaks. The kids were always excited to take everything out of the box to see what extra food we were going to have. Bellevue LifeSpring also gave us vouchers for new back-to-school clothes. Thanksgiving and Christmas have been hard for us to enjoy, but Bellevue LifeSpring has given us the opportunity to be in the Holiday Adopt-a-Family™ program. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
It has been amazing to find out how much help there is for those of us in our community who are facing hardship. There is no reason any family should have to feel desperation or hopelessness for their future, there is help out there. Having solutions, stability and guidance is the result of reaching out and belonging to the community. On behalf of our family and all the other families you help, I thank you and am eternally grateful.
