SPOTLIGHT ON GRANT RECIPIENTS

Your Help
Literally Saves Lives

Two days short of Disability Coverage

Our colleague thrived in the fast-paced environment of a major market station ever since he knocked on doors as an account executive in 1980. He later became the type of general manager and vice president that any sales team would be proud to work alongside. Always challenging himself, he took on a position leading a network group when a health emergency changed his life in one day. He had worked for this new firm fewer than 90 days, which meant he was ineligible for disability coverage.

His worst day was the result of a stroke suffered during open heart/bypass surgery. It left him without locomotion. Whatever strength he could summon now would be needed for strenuous rehabilitation. He needs to excel in this endeavor so that he can stop any further physical decline and prepare himself for another day in the operating room.

His wife is staying at home to care for him and their three small children. While he tries to recover, she is trying to hold the family together. More and more medical bills are coming in which has rapidly depleted their life savings.

Rehabilitation costs, medical bills, deductibles, in home care, and a host of other unexpected day-to-day expenses have raised havoc upon the lives of this family. However, despite the circumstances they are fighting back, together, as a family.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America is there for them.

Thank you for supporting our colleagues in need…

A Double Blow

A married couple that both worked as successful sales executives in the broadcasting industry find themselves today in a situation that is simply unimaginable. The wife and mother of two small children was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2005. This rare and paralyzing disease has robbed her of the life she knew in a very short time. She is fed intravenously and relies on breathing support to survive. This young woman is aware of her surroundings; so that she can see and hear her children but cannot hold them and cannot even speak to them clearly.

Her heartbroken husband is now raising their children, aged 7 and 10, while he tries to cope with the cruel reality that confronts them every day. Their family situation appears as if it could not get any worse. But there is also a pressing financial need. The husband left his prosperous sales career five years ago because he needed to step in and save the family printing business since his own father’s health was failing. He made the commitment to invest most of his resources into the business only to watch it fail financially.

This loss of income coupled with staggering home heath care costs have stripped away any safety net that the family saved. Although siblings are trying to assist financially their contributions are meager compared to the monthly debt.

At this moment, our colleagues and their children are in jeopardy of losing their home due to foreclosure.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America is there for them.

Thank you for supporting our colleagues in need…

Stroke felled broadcaster

A broadcast personality and industry entrepreneur needs our help. Our colleague was in the forefront of the community as a founder of a national publication dedicated to the industry. He later pursued several independent entrepreneurial ventures, unfortunately to no lasting financial success.

In December of 2006, he suffered a massive stroke resulting in brain damage to a serious degree. This dynamic communicator now contends with short-term memory loss and is at this time critically delusional. Fighting for his life, he has made enough physical improvement to be transferred to a local rehabilitation center, where he present condition is complicated and unstable. Known as a bold risk-taker, he is now in the unfathomable position of being unable to manage his own life.

His health problems are compounded by a dire financial need. He is without health insurance, pension or other resources mandatory to afford the high-level quality of health care he needs to survive. His two daughters have informed us that they must locate an assisted living facility immediately that can offer the attention that he needs. His present facility is unsatisfactory owing to a lack of rehabilitation services and even lack of concern on the part of the staff handling his case.

His children are presently navigating a complicated state health care system in order to identify any support possible. But they will only be able to help their father if we can help them. We have the ability to make a difference in our colleague's quality of life today.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America is there for them.

Thank you for supporting our colleagues in need…