Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital helps make wishes come true

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital patient Michelle Smetters recently received a financial gift from Weish4Ever, the Andrew Weishar Foundation. Members of the foundation's beneficiary committee presented a check for $5,000 to Michelle in person during a visit to the hospital in late May.

Good Shepherd Oncology Nurse Navigator Susan Brady contacted the foundation in an effort to ease Michelle's burden. The foundation came through with a donation for one of Susan's previous patients, so she took a chance and reached out again to share Michelle's story in hopes that the foundation would consider another act of kindness for a Good Shepherd patient.

In her letter to the foundation, Susan explained that Michelle was diagnosed with stage III intraductal carcinoma in 2009. At the time, Michelle was just 28 years old, her children were 4 and 18 months, and she had just been laid off from her job.

Michelle had a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and multiple reconstructive surgeries. She and her husband spent the last eight years healing and putting their lives back together. She was about to celebrate what she calls her eight year "cancerversary," when she was diagnosed with a recurrence. She has undergone surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment. According to Susan, "She has stage IV disease but a warrior spirit."

Susan further explained in her letter to the foundation that Michelle's financial burden had become great. Sadly, her $11,000 in medical bills is only part of the struggle. She has been trying to work, but the toll of treatment has made that challenging. Her spouse is working, but has taken time off to be with her. A leaking roof further added to their dire situation.

"Michelle is a beautiful survivor who looked at me and said, 'We could probably figure it out or take out a high-interest loan, but I don't want to live like that.' I don't want her to live like that either," Susan wrote. "As a young survivor, how does she ever get back on her feet?"

Members of the Weishar Foundation's beneficiary committee were touched by Michelle's story and Susan's moving words. They agreed that Michelle is precisely the type of person for whom the foundation was created.

The foundation honors Andrew Weishar, who grew up on Chicago's South Side and was diagnosed with colorectal cancer when he was 19 years old. Treatment included chemotherapy, radiation and an extensive surgery. Nearly a year after surgery, his cancer recurred. He passed away in 2012 after battled the disease for about two more years.

Prior to Andrew's passing, he asked his younger brother to "pay forward" the acts of kindness and generosity he received. In early 2013, the foundation was created to honor Andrew's request of paying it forward by providing acts of kindness and generosity, easing financial burdens and offering temporary escapes.