Helping people when they’re stuck because of MS is our job. That’s what we do. But it’s not just a job. It’s a privilege, a joy, a responsibility, and a passion.
Every time we hear from a new applicant, we experience a range of emotions. If we’re being honest, the first is excitement: we’re happy someone has discovered us and reached out. Heartache is a very close second: Stupid MS, causing people pain and suffering, disrupting their lives. Understanding: Life with MS is not easy and it’s not cheap. Anger: STUPID MS! Empathy: It’s not hard to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, agonizing over bills, worrying about your family’s well-being, considering ignoring your own needs in order to meet those of your family.
But that’s why we exist. We’ve got hope to give when it feels like hope’s run out. And even though we don’t expect a thank you just for doing our job, we get that hope right back tenfold when we receive a thank you like this one:
Dear MS HOPE Foundation:
The words “thank you” are hardly sufficient to express my and my family’s deep gratitude for the help that you provided to us last June. Thanks to the MS HOPE Foundation, we were able to survive a truly difficult and stressful financial storm.
MS brought with it a series of physical challenges, and also for my family, financial distress and emotional upheaval. We are managing. We are adjusting. The help we received from the MS HOPE Foundation helped us to stay afloat; to find a more stable financial position; to literally keep the lights on; and to avoid having to make the choice between food for our family, or medication or treatment for me, or shelter — an impossible choice.
The help we received was not just financial, though. I was depressed and feeling quite hopeless at the time that we reached out for help. I had been down at the time of my diagnosis, and further depressed by the loss of my ability to function. Couple that with the financial turmoil brought on by my disease-induced unemployment and the result was a deeper depression than I had experienced before. The grant we received helped to restore some gladness and hope that our situation will improve. And that is a very valuable gift.
We are so, SO grateful for the help that we received. I really cannot find words to express just how much we appreciate the support. Once again, thank you very much. People with MS are so fortunate to have you to help out in a time of great need.
Very, very sincerely yours,
D
Have you ever been blown away by a thank you or an act of kindness? Tell us about it!
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Tags: financial aid, medical bills, MS Expenses, ms help