Thank you.
In a few short weeks my husband John and I, along with various other family members, will be traveling to Indianapolis. We can’t wait to get on Highway 41 North and go. We also dread the trip. Our daughter, Lenore, needs a kidney transplant. Her older brother, Philip, is donating one of his kidneys to her. John and I try not to dwell on the idea of having two of our kids in surgery at the same time. It’s easier that way. Still, so many questions find their way into our thoughts.
Where will we all stay while we’re in Indy and how much hospital food can we stand? How will we divide our time between the two of them as they recuperate? Which one of us will go home with Philip and which one stays at the hospital with Lenore? How many trips back and forth to Indy will we be making in the next few months? Who gets to do all that driving and will Beverly (our car) hold up during all those miles? Who is going to take care of the pets while we are away? How long before we can each go back to work and get on with our lives? How much is all of this going to cost?
The support of family and friends means so much to all of us. We opened the Bernard Transplant Fund in anticipation of the out of pocket expenses to be incurred by the entire family. Donations to the fund will allow us to concentrate on getting Lenore and Philip healthy again.
Thank you.
POST CONTRIBUTED BY: MARY ANN BERNARD, senior administrative assistant in the Office of Development.
The USI Foundation has reactivated the USI Family Fund in order to accept gifts of support for the family. Lenore, a 2004 USI graduate, is currently working part-time at the David L. Rice Library. She will be unable to work for up to three months following the transplant and will need assistance with medical and living expenses.
Friends and colleagues who want to assist the Bernard family with medical and travel expenses may make a contribution to the USI Foundation/USI Family Fund, with a memo indicating it is for the Bernard family. The entire amount will be made available to assist the family. Please note that gifts to the USI Family Fund are not tax-deductible charitable gifts for income tax purposes and no receipts will be issued.
Contributions should be delivered to the Business Affairs office, WA 102 in the Wright Administration Building. For more information, contact Jean Devine in the Development office at 812/464-1918.