Compassion Can't Wait
When single parent families are in despair, we help with urgent expenses
to allow these caregivers to stay at their child's bedside during catastrophic illness.
We are celebrating the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation’s 20th anniversary, by formally recognizing the mission that we have implemented in the last two decades. We are changing our name to what speaks best of what we do: CompassionCantWait.org
This Is How We Help
In order to comply with HIPAA data privacy, the medical information below is limited to the way requests are presented to us in the various style of the different hospitals and their social workers.
Your donations helps our desperate single parents with not having to make impossible choices—whether to go to work to keep the insurance intact and support their healthy children, or be at the only place they want to be, by the bedside of their catastrophically ill or dying child.
“S” is a 6-year-old girl who is greatly suffering from an incurable genetic disease called “Familial Mediterranean Fever,” as well as failure to thrive. After almost two years of her being very sick with weekly fevers, night sweats, lymphadenopathy, rashes, chronic diarrhea, and joint pains, she was finally diagnosed last May at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
She currently has an NG feeding tube for her failure to thrive. Because of “S’s” illness, her single-mother of three children has been unable to work. Bills piled up beyond her ability to catch up and has fallen greatly behind on her payments.
Compassion Can’t Wait paid the family’s overdue housing bills, auto payments, and utilities.
15-year-old “J” had been suffering from B-cell ALL (acute lymphocytic leukemia) and severe methotrexate neurotoxicity. She is paralyzed from the neck down from chemotherapy. Her mother passed away last year from a malignant brain tumor, and her maternal aunt—who drives 145 miles for “J’s” weekly appointments—obtained her custody. She also must make closer to home, but much more frequent trips to physical therapy.
Her aunt is unable to work, and for the first time in her life struggles on Food Stamps and SSI (supplemental security income). “J” receives SSD (social security disability of $900) and has received a one-time donation from the Leukemia Society.
Compassion Can’t Wait took care of one month past-due mortgage, electric bill (Augusta Utilities Dept.) and disconnect notice from Georgia Power, amounting to $1,918. We always add a $100 gift card, and intend to remain in touch with their social worker anticipating further urgent needs.
“E” is a 16-year-old, on a very tough journey since his diagnosis with Stage III Burkitt’s Lymphoma. After his initial inpatient treatment, he has had five unplanned emergency hospitalizations. The round trip drive of 175 miles from his family’s home to reach the hospital is very familiar to “E” and his single mother. She has lost her job, as she cares full time for her son. “E” is presently hospitalized in anticipation of an upcoming surgery. The hospital has been assisting with gas and grocery cards, but their social worker has turned to us because of our flexibility in responding to the most urgent of a family’s need.
In this case, they are two months behind on their rent. Compassion Can’t Wait caught them up on their rent in arrears, plus the next month’s rent; purchased four new tires, and a hundred dollars for ready money on hand. Compassion Can’t Wait will continue to help complete this family’s needs.
“V” is 17 years old and was diagnosed with high risk ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia). While in treatment, she suffered a stroke. She shortly after relapsed and has re-started chemotherapy. The emotional and financial stress of “V’s” health has put additional stressors on the family, and they have fallen behind on rent and need assistance with other household expenses.
Compassion Can’t Wait was contacted by their social worker J.M. We paid $1,500 for two months of rent and provided $1,095 additional funding for the family to catch up on other overdue bills.
“K” is a baby born with an extremely rare type of genetic immunodeficiency. She has recently received a stem cell transplant. Her short life has been fraught by one complication after another and as many hospitalizations. She and her single mother continue to fight this life-threatening disease. She transferred to Boston Children’s Hospital for a whole year of isolation in hopes of recovery. Her single mother, who adopted “K” at birth, left her professional job to care for “K” full-time.
She will soon exhaust her savings and retirement account to support herself and “K”.” She has received assistance from other hospital resources, and has applied for government assistance and subsidized housing. Their pediatric social worker L.L. has contacted CompassionCan’tWait.org to request assistance to support “K” and her mother while they wait for government funding to begin.
Compassion Can’t Wait is privileged to be able to respond and help a brave mother and her child in such an extreme situation. May baby “K” recover from her stem cell transplant, and may her adoptive mother stand on her feet once again. We helped with $2,000 to pay two months of rent.
These are only a fraction of the families that we have had the privilege of helping. Please click the button below to see more of the individuals we have been fortunate enough to lend a hand to.
Our affiliated & Alumni Hospitals
