Soldiers for Caleb's Crusade

Just the other day I met a family that has a 19 month-old baby girl who has cancer called Wilms Tumor, a kidney tumor. The young, single, unemployed mom is also pregnant with her second child and due in the matter of weeks. As if that’s not challenging enough, they don’t have a place to live. In the past few months they have been in two different shelters both of which have asked them to leave because the baby is on chemo and vulnerable to infections. Currently, the pregnant mom and sick baby temporarily live with friends and have nowhere else to turn. The mom has teamed up with her grandmother who is on disability to get on their feet and find a place together. This family needs your help today to get a clean start with this new baby and a safe, clean place for their sick kiddo. Most people think that this is tragic and something that happens only in extreme cases. And yes, I would describe this as extreme but it is not the first time that I have seen kids with cancer in shelters. What if I told you that this was right here in your own backyard? This family and at least one other in a similar situation call Fort Myers, Florida, their home. Let the families tell the story: Caleb’s Crusade “During Lilly’s treatment we were met with many hardships. The weight cancer puts on a family, even beyond the actual treatment, is devastating. We had to give up our home, move in with family, go down to just one car for our family of five, and learn to budget for the life of a family battling cancer. A week before Lilly’s Make A Wish my husband was let go from work. We were then left with no income…many medical expenses that insurance didn’t cover, as well as the stress of affording gas back and forth to treatment, food while in the hospital with her, and being able to provide for our three children. We were sinking and sinking fast. Then one day Rob Whan contacted me. Not long after that we met at Lilly’s hospital bedside, and it was then that Caleb’s Crusade became a name we were not only familiar with but forever grateful for. The team members not only became our friends and support but also helped to alleviate much of the financial burden we were facing so that we could focus on our little girl. I’m not sure how we would have ever made it through those ten months without their generous charity, as well as the friendships and bonds created. I cannot express just how much Caleb’s Crusade has done for my family, but please know that each one of you coming together to raise funds and awareness, mean so very much. Each and every one of you makes a difference! What you do for these families battling this monster called cancer is truly amazing.” Testimony from Lilly’s mom, Melinda.

Often when Caleb’s Crusade gets a referral the families lack the ability to make ends meet. Some of the families don’t have the resources they need to care for a sick child. Currently, we are getting more referrals than ever before. Like the family shared earlier with Wilms Tumor, they need an apartment to live in. We have already made commitments to this family to raise the funds we need to get them in a place. We will also provide for them until mom is physically ready to go back to work after she has the baby. Our main goal is to make sure that the sick child has her needs taken care of. We hope to achieve this goal and in the process create an environment for this young family to get on their feet. Will you be a part of helping Caleb’s Crusade further our mission to help these local families?

www.CalebsCrusade.org