We’re happy to welcome a new and deserving family to Community Key. The journey Ricki-Lynne Jean and her 4-year-old daughter, Paisley-Anne Jean, has not been easy.
In late March of 2019 at 2-years-old, Paisley-Anne was diagnosed with an inoperable glioma tumour on her optic nerve. Unfortunately, this tumour caused Paisley-Anne to lose sight in her left eye.
Paisley-Anne was also diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis, which makes her prone to tumour growth on her nerves. Through her 72 weeks of weekly chemo treatments, quarterly MRIs and physicals, Paisley-Anne and Ricki-Lynne struggled as a single-income family. Ricki-Lynne had to cut her work schedule, losing an income stream, to accommodate Paisley-Anne’s treatment schedule and travel the three hours to Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton.
But, Ricki-Lynne made things work with the help of their community.
“I’d always managed to budget and plan well enough that we were okay financially. Our community helped us so much, as did the Kids With Cancer Society.”
However, as Paisley-Anne’s weekly treatments came to an end, the small family would have to face another challenge when Ricky-Lynne had a heart attack.
Ricki-Lynne was forced to take most of July off to recover.
“No amount of planning or budgeting could’ve prepared me for that. I did not know what to do, I was already struggling, unwell, and facing a ton of stress looking at not being able to take care of things financially and possibly having to move.”
That’s when a wonderful pediatric social worker at the Stollery, Danielle Sikora, sent Ricki-Lynne the Community Key application.
With everything this family has had to endure, it was without question that we had to help Ricki-Lynne and Paisley-Anne by covering their rent.
“You helped me get back on my feet so I can focus on helping Paisley-Anne through the rest of her treatment protocol. I couldn’t be more grateful. The biggest thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me get through this.”
We're so happy to help Ricki-Lynne and Paisley-Anne and thank you to all who donated to make this happen.
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