“The surgery needs to be rescheduled for this year, but work complicates this. I cannot stop working because my children depend on me. My son, Eric, has been diagnosed with Autism and needs urgent help with his behavior. It has been very difficult for me to get services for him because we do not have insurance.”

Marcella thought she was making a clean break from a difficult past when she emigrated with her four children to the U.S. from Honduras. In leaving a relationship fraught with domestic violence, Marcella was indeed moving on and escaping a dangerous situation.

As a recent emigree, things were not easy, but instilled with faith and a drive to care for her family, Marcella was on the right path. At the start of 2020, she began to feel sick and suffered intense pains in her back. Doctors gave her a complete examination and discovered a tumor in her kidney. This was heartbreaking news. Knowing she had to address this head-on, Marcella and her doctors scheduled surgery.

That’s when things got complicated. Due to the pandemic, surgery had to be postponed to this year. However, Marcella needs to keep working because her family wholly depends on her. This is no more apparent than in the example of her young son Eric who is diagnosed with autism and needs urgent professional help to address his behavior. With no insurance, both the help for Eric and the medical care for Marcella cannot be paid for.

The professional caregivers at Bryan’s House have had long, tough discussions with Marcella, and they understand why she can’t take time off from her job as it typically results in her hours being cut. With financial and health-related stress at an all-time high, the Foundation realized that it could make a real difference in Marcella’s life by providing the kind of assistance that could stabilize her and her family’s life right now. With your help, a series of invaluable grants for food, rent and therapy have provided a lifeline for Marcella and her kids, giving her the financial security to pursue surgery while also addressing the needs of Eric and his autism.

Total Assistance: