sad story about Kelly...

weesa
weesa Member Posts: 707
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Kelly is a young woman living in Hendersonville NC with breast cancer whom I have never met.She has a young daughter and has only a few weeks to live. Her goal had been to take her daughter to the first day of kindergarten next fall, which sadly, she will not likely be able to do. A group of survivors and friends are putting on a fundraiser for her this coming Saturday night at my pub, Hannah Flanagan's Pub and Eatery, on Main Street in Hendersonville. Big green awning at corner of Main and 3rd.It will start at 7 pm there will be live music and lots of other fundraising endeavors. We are hoping to raise enough money for (I guess there is no way to say this nicely) her funeral.

I know there are quite a few NC'ers around, so if any of you can make it, I will greet you with open arms, and all the incredible women at Bares it All for Breast Cancer will, too. Anybody who comes as a result of reading this, I will have a surprise for.

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  • everyminute
    everyminute Member Posts: 1,805
    edited January 2011

    I am so sorry to hear that - wish I was closer.  I did want to just say that your pub is awesome and the food (and company) is fantastic!

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited January 2011
    Wouldn't it be nice if she and her daughter could "visit" and spend a day in a kindergarten class now even though she won't officially start until fall.  Mom and daughter could enjoy the activities together.  Just a thought. 
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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited January 2011

    Oh, Faith, what a wonderful idea, wish I had come up with that earlier. Unfortunately Kelly is now bedridden.

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  • elmcity69
    elmcity69 Member Posts: 998
    edited January 2011

    Kelly is in my prayers....and thank you for organizing this fundraiser. As all of us here know, it is our girlfriends and bc sisters who pull us through.

    Sometimes, I wonder what the hell the universe is thinking.

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  • Maureen813
    Maureen813 Member Posts: 2,893
    edited January 2011

    I wish I was closer.  Kelly and her daughter are in my prayers.  I will be there is spirit.

    Love,
    Maureen

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  • Pure
    Pure Member Posts: 1,796
    edited January 2011

    I am 4 hours away and well with 4 kids it's almost impossible but I would LOVE to donate money.

    Just send me address and I will do so tommorow!

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  • kimber3006
    kimber3006 Member Posts: 586
    edited January 2011

    It's been a while since I've prayed with the tears rolling like that.  I don't think I can be there, but I'd like to help, too.  Address, please?

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited January 2011

    WoW! you are the best. It's been so wrenching to do this, but it's been so very much easier since telling all of you.

    The Chairperson is Debbie Connor, C/O Bares It All for Breast Cancer, 241 North Main Street, Hendersonville NC, 28792.Please mention your donation is for Kelly.

    Bares It All, is a non -profit that raises money with a tastefully done calendar of bc survivors. It provides free mammograms, gas to go to appointments, childcare for women in treatment, anything basically that is needed. The funeral plan is straining the resources of this band of volunteers, but we think we have found a funeral home that will work with us.

    I will post again after Saturday night and let you know how it went.

    As Elm City said, "What the hell is the universe thinking?"                                                 

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  • heatherbless
    heatherbless Member Posts: 295
    edited January 2011

    Weesa, I am from NC and a BC survivor.  Where is Hendersonville?  Is it near the mountains--I lived in Boone for seven years.  Please let me know and thanks.  My heart breaks for all of the young mothers in the world and their children.  I know:  my identical twin sister died from bile duct cancer last May and left a 7 and 10 year old.  I could send a donation:  is there an address?

    Thanks, heather

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited January 2011

    heather, I can't imagine how wrenching it must be to lose an identical twin.

    I have put the address for donations for Kelly in my post right above yours. Hendersonville is a bit southeast of Asheville in the  western mountains. It has an exit off I-26 that is 5 minutes from the pub. It is also quickly accessible from I-40. It's about 45 minutes from Greenville, SC..

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  • Octobergirl
    Octobergirl Member Posts: 334
    edited January 2011

    Weesa,

    Kelly's story is wrenching and I am sending prayers for peace and strength in her behalf. I am so sorry I have plans that I can't change for Saturday but will send a donation.  The fundraiser would be the best reason I could think of to come out to Hendersonville and finally meet you.

    I hope it's ok to specify that my donation be used for Kelly's daughter if it happens that the funeral charges are covered during the fundraiser.

    Thanks for letting us know about Bares It All.  I am glad to know of an organization in the area that uses funds to meet real needs of sisters fighting breast cancer.  Bless all of you and Hannah Flanagan"s (home of the best Irish food and beer in WNC) for your efforts.

    Molly

    edited for grammar

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  • gutsy
    gutsy Member Posts: 391
    edited January 2011

    Oh, how sad to hear this. Is there anyway the kindergarten teacher could come over and do a little kindergarten orientation at the bedside. I am in another country, but what a lovely gesture to do a fundraiser for her.

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  • kimber3006
    kimber3006 Member Posts: 586
    edited January 2011

    Weesa - Just checking in to see how the fundraiser went?

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited January 2011

    Oh, gosh, the fundraiser was heartwarming and sad and happy. The restaurant was packed to the gills with a line out the street,  and a series of very good local musicians entertained. Kelly's parents were there--very nice salt-of-the earth folks-- and good grandparents.They seemed amazed at the turnout.And friends of Kelly's from highschool where she was very well liked. Of course, Kelly was not there, in fact her family did not expect her to last the weekend.The women at Bares It All told me they were doing well financially at 8 pm with 3 more hours to go, and I told them some of my friends at Breast Cancer.Org would be sending donations even tho they had never met me, let alone met Kelly.

    They were SO TOUCHED by that. Wish you could have seen the tears that brought.

    I have a poster which was used for the advertisement for the event that has a photograph of Kelly and her daughter, Hope. I am going to try to post it here tomorrow.When Kelly was in the hospital delivering Hope it was discovered she had stage 4 breast cancer. I learned Kelly is married and has a husband who adores their little girl, thank goodness. Kelly has requested that she not be cremated. She wanted a regular burial with a casket, and I guess that is where her family had trouble honoring her request for the more expensive option. The only other thing she had ever wanted was to take Hope to the first day of kindergarten.

    When I saw the photograph of Kelly McClure I realized I had met her and had already been so moved by her. One day about a year ago, the coordinator for the Reach for Recovery chapter here where I volunteer called me to say she had an unusual request: She had two women who were stage 4 bc who wanted to attend the Looking Good/ Feeling Good program of the American Cancer Society and wanted some more women to join them because the class was more fun that way. Since I had never done the Looking Good thing, I went and met with the two women and one of them was Kelly. She was such sweet, gentle and kind young woman. I had not forgotten her, just forgot her name.

    I know that there are probably Kelly's in all your communities, and I am so humbled  many of you reached out about this. It helped give me the courage to face this family, knowing you were supporting me, wishing you could be there, sending best wishes for success. There is no place anywhere to find support like this place!

    I will post more tomorrow, the picture of Kelly, and some idea if we met the financial goal. I suspect we came close, with the large crowd and a kind funeral home director who is working with us within our budget. Also,  Hannah's is donating a portion of their sales, and the sales were huge for food and drink.That money doesn't get delivered until tomorrow.I will have the bottom line by late tomorrow. Love, Weesa 

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited February 2011

    Sherri, I'm woefully overdue to get the picture of Kelly posted here and an update from the fundraisers themselves. Promise to do that tomorrow. I played hookey from work today, did my income tax, and fooled around on the "you know you are a cancer patient when..."
     with all the hilarious women there.

    I need to get into work tomorrow where there is a color scanner and figure out how to get the picture posted here. (I am a computer klutz.)

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  • Letlet
    Letlet Member Posts: 1,053
    edited February 2011

    weesa, it always makes me tear up to read about her. My daughter started going to Kindergarten last year and I requested week off from work months in advance to be home for this milestone. I found out I had BC almost 2 weeks before and I was devastated. On Lily's first day of school we took pictures of everything, her getting ready, sitting in the car with her shiny lunch box, standing in line with her classmates. I was in such turmoil because of my recent dx and just reading this story about Kelly makes me appreciate that I was there there to see her first day of school.

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited February 2011

     Here's the poster advertising last weekend's fund raiser, which was very successful. Kelly is doing okay. She did get out to the kindergarten class with her daughter, I have been told. We met our goal and Kelly is thrilled with our success. I am hoping the picture shows what a sweet soul she is. Thank you to everybody who responded here or pm'd me or sent donations.It's so nice to never feel alone.

    Breast Camcer Poster[1] for posting

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited February 2011

    Breast Camcer Poster[1] for posting" mce_src="Breast Camcer Poster[1] for posting" alt="poster" border="" hspace="" vspace="" width="" height="" align="left" />

    Here is the poster that was used for Kelly's very successful fundraiser. She is holding her own and has been to the kindergarten class with her daughter. You can see what a sweet, kind person she is!

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  • kittycat
    kittycat Member Posts: 2,144
    edited February 2011

    This breaks my heart to hear about Kelly's story.  There are too many of these kind of stories.  A friend and sorority sister of mine just passed away last week from colon cancer.  We reconnected over the summer, while we were both going through chemo.  She has a 9 and 11 year old.  Her funeral is tomorrow. 

    How wonderful of you to take part in her fundraiser and how nice it is that you met her.  I liked the idea of the kindergarten teacher doing a ceremony in advance.  :)

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