Share the Season helps mom with son’s medical bills

Share the Season is an annual campaign that offers one-time aid to people affected by unforeseen hardships. The people are not identified to protect their privacy.

Bills from dealing with her 3-year-old son’s various medical issues were piling up.

She was feeling desperate.

“I’m trying to pay everyone something every month,” the 31-year-old single mom wrote in her application to Share the Season, “but it seems I get a new bill or a collection notice every time I turn around.

“I’m trying to pay. I just can’t pay everyone in full every month.”

Her son has had tubes in his ears, hearing tests and was recently diagnosed with asthma. He may need surgery on his tongue and is expected to start speech therapy in January, she said.

Even after her job’s medical insurance paid on the bills, she still owed more than $1,000.

Share the Season paid the medical bills.

“That help was such a blessing,” she said. “That was a huge help.”

Share the Season is a joint project of The Eagle, the Wichita Community Foundation and the Salvation Army.

So far this season, it has raised more than $100,602.

Send contributions to Share the Season at the Wichita Community Foundation, 301 N. Main, Suite 100, Wichita, KS 67202. To donate online, go to www.sharetheseason.org. If you have questions about donating, call 316-264-4880.

Donors will be listed in The Eagle; please note if you prefer to remain anonymous.

To apply for help, fill out an application atwww.sharetheseason.org or pick one up at the Salvation Army, 350 N. Market. The application deadline is Dec. 17. For more information, call 316-263-2769.

Among recent donors: Jo Alexander; Ruby Anderson; Jeffrey and Kathy Arbuckle; James and Patricia Armstrong; Bill and Mary Linda Arnold; David and Kathy Baker, in memory of Russel and Bettie Baker; Marlene Barkley, in memory of John and Laura Pauly and Margaret Schauf; Barbara Black-Roe, in honor of Don Roe; Joseph and N. Gail Botinelly; Glen and Anita Boutz; Peggy Browning; Paul and Rebecca Burdick; Timera Caro, in memory of Rollin and Bertha Cobb; Elizabeth Carson; Barbara Case, in memory of Caryl Wiley and Aunt Joyce; Ruby Collins; Jeraldine Cooper; Marilyn Sue Cressler.

Jack and Marilyn DeBoer; John and Julie Dombo; Marty and Terri Dondlinger; Joel and Joyce Chadwick Eby, in memory of Janis Amerpohl and Alan Anderson; Carolyn Rose Elder, in honor of Betty and Richard Elder; William Fields; Chris and Vicki Flattery; James and Esther Franklin; Thomas and Carole Garretson; Brian and Elizabeth Gaudreau, in memory of Robert Razook.

Patricia and Jeff Gorham, in memory of Jayne Milburn; George and Karen Haynes; Jack and Nyla Hobbs; Mark and Louise Holden, in memory of Robert Razook; Steven and Susan Houlik; James and Christine House; Aileen Hutchinson; K.C. and Susamma Jacob; Thomas and Stephanie Jensen; Judith Johnson, in memory of Marion and Carol Richey; Randy and Connie Kelly, in memory of Vernon Bateson; and Dean Krug.

This story was originally published December 5, 2016 at 4:50 PM with the headline "Share the Season helps mom with son’s medical bills."