I have never been shy about telling anyone of my diagnosis. My view on that is that the more people that know the more support I can and will receive. I immediately and eagerly began searching for support groups through the American Brain Tumor Association website, talked with my friends about it and willingly answered questions to whomever was curious about my condition. I researched it and learned as much as I could about as little research that has been done on my type of tumor (Low grade glioma or Diffuse Astrocytoma Grade II). My Mom even bought me a shirt that says "Brain Tumor Survivor" that I will and have worn with pride. I do not own my diagnosis, it does not define me, I am still the same Tara as I was and will be the same Tara when this is all said and done.
The amount of support I have received since I was told I had a brain tumor has been overwhelming. Outside of my immediate family and friends (who have been amazing from the beginning), the support surrounding me became blatantly obvious the day I posted on Facebook about how I needed to go to Mayo for a second opinion. My insurance did not cover the appointment and it was upwards of $500 plus for one visit to see a neurosurgeon for a second opinion! It's not like they were doing more CT or MRI scans, I was just going to talk to someone about my options. I was NOT posting that status to get people to feel sorry for me, I was really doing it out of frustration and concern...but within minutes (and I am literally talking like 5 or 6 minutes) I was contacted by my mother's friend who said she was sending $500 in the mail that day to help cover expenses to be able to go to Mayo Clinic. I was shocked, I began crying. I called my Mom, my Dad, my sister to tell everyone that my God, OUR God really shines in tough times and He was definitely shining now.
Within hours of that, several others (family and friends) had reached out asking how they could contribute, writing and sending checks to me and my mother to help cover any costs they could regarding my medical expenses. My long time friend Misty Moranville called me out of the blue (I hadn't spoken to her since graduating high school, but we kept in touch through FB) and said she was going to be in town and wanted to host a Premier Jewelry party on my behalf and give me part of the proceeds. I believe we raised over $500 in all from that night alone. It was a start and an uplifting experience that so many people wanted to help. And it was humbling. Most who know me, know that I am not one to reach out and ask for help. But I was graciously (yet sometimes hesitantly) accepting offers and donations from anyone knowing the battle I was facing had just begun and the journey I would and will partake in would be long and emotionally, physically and financially the most difficult time in my life.
Then my family set up a website in honor of my journey and fight against "Timmy" with a button to PayPal which they had linked to a Trust Fund account in my name ( www.tanewtonfund.com ). They had a brilliant idea to do a Charity Yard Sale/Raffle/Auction to help raise money, too. The yard sale is on April 21 from 7am-3pm with a special performance by Rebecca Day(www.rebeccadayonline.com), a local artist and very close friend of mine. Rebeca Day's (who is the sister of my best friend Jen Day Thompson) mother, Kay Day wrote an article about me and published on several of her sites, too! You can find that article at http://www.theusreport.com/the-us-report/2012/3/23/how-a-car-crash-turned-out-to-be-a-blessing-for-tara.html. Local companies have donated gift certificates to the raffle including Chili's, Birdies/The Pearl, and Wild Wing Cafe. Other local companies have offered to print free flyer's for my Charity Yard Sale. Friends have offered to donate free gift baskets from their salons, free seasons of kickball from WAKA kickball, and so much more that I know I am forgetting as I write this. My Dad's group of friends who are apart of EPIC Surf Ministries did a "hands on healing" special prayer session with and for me as well. A co-worker and very faithful servant of God made me a prayer blanket of which he had three masses and the Bishop pray over (he is Catholic) before giving it to me. Three other co-workers knitted another prayer blanket for me, each trading off for a couple weeks to knit each of their ends of the blanket, then wrapping it in the most beautiful box with the sweetest card.
So far I think my family and friends have helped me to raise approximately $6k or more and so far (and this is BEFORE surgery that is April 26) my medical bills total close to $15k. The journey may have just begun...but the love and support from my friends, my family, my co-workers and even total strangers stretches far beyond any journey could go. How blessed am I? :)
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