Share the Season: Woman receives help with late husband’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.
Her husband died in early December from cancer, about a week after they celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary.
“It’s hard to think of anything else right now,” the 55-year-old Wichita woman said.
Shortly before he died, she had filed an application with Share the Season to seek assistance with medical bills incurred from her husband’s illness.
In that application, she wrote that help would “reduce the stress so I can care for my husband in our last days together.”
That help came shortly after she buried her husband.
“I’m just so grateful,” she said. “Yes, very grateful.”
She worked for many years as a paraprofessional in schools before a disability forced her to retire in 2008. Her only income is a disability check.
The oldest of the couple’s three children was killed at 23 in a car accident in 2003. She has nine grandchildren.
“Life can be hard,” she said, “but I’ll make it with the Lord’s help. I’m so grateful for the help I’ve received.”
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 $131,226.
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 at www.sharetheseason.org or pick one up at the Salvation Army, 350 N. Market. The application deadline is Dec. 20. For more information, call 316-263-2769.
Among recent donors:
Estle Adair; Mike and Chris Archer, in honor of Pamela Clancy Ammar; Kenneth and Tamara Breeden, in honor of Rhys and Kai Breeden; David Clark; Norma Clem; Max and Nina Eberhart; Aileen Hutchinson; Nancy Lee, in memory of Walter Lee; Hazel Linder, in memory of Jim Linder; Glenda McNew; Doris Prahl, in memory of Robert E. Prahl.
Earl and Vivian Richman, in memory of Sandra Richman; Jay and Carolyn Schlegel; R.M. and Phyllis Smith; Christine Vermeeren, Wedekind Interior Trim LLC; Pete and Jacquelyne Williams; anonymous in memory of Addie Jean Kirkland Hamric; anonymous in memory of Everett Kadel; and four other anonymous donors.
This story was originally published December 12, 2015 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Share the Season: Woman receives help with late husband’s medical bills."