By Marilu Cazares
Family Support Services Program Manager,
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
Illness. Disability. What comes to mind when you read those two words? Maybe you know someone who is ill and/or disabled, and that person comes to mind. Maybe you yourself are ill. Maybe you are disabled. Maybe nothing comes to mind. For me, two other words come to mind: vulnerability and fear. Thank God, as of right now, I am in good health, but I know people who are sick and struggling. It’s fair to say that most of us don’t plan for future illnesses or for drastic life changes, but life doesn’t always happen the way we think it will.
At Catholic Social Services, our Family Support Services Program receives calls and emails every day from people asking for assistance due to an unexpected life circumstance that causes financial hardship. There are frequently people calling us who have had everything in life—never needing help from anyone until now. It is interesting to hear each story, and it makes me think that I am not exempt from one day being in their position; none of us is.
Last month, Linda, a 52-year-old woman whose husband disappeared after traveling to a foreign country contacted us, seeking financial help. Linda has been dealing with breast and skin cancer, preventing her from working. Her husband was their only source of financial support. Due to his absence and Linda’s inability to work, their daughter Maggie started taking care of her mom and all of the household responsibilities including paying the bills.
Maggie works full time, but it’s still not enough to cover their mortgage payment, utility bills, and all of Linda’s medical bills. Unfortunately, Linda does not have insurance, yet she needs regular follow-up with her oncologist, leaving Maggie very tight financially.
On top of all that, Maggie’s vehicle broke down, requiring her to pay more than $1,000 for repairs. For the moment, it runs, yet it still needs some other repairs to be in good enough condition that she can drive her mom to her doctor’s appointments, and for her to go to work.
When we are healthy and life shines for us, we never count on something like this to happen. We don’t think that one day we could be that person who has to pick up the phone with perhaps a little fear, shame, and uncertainty at the thought of whether it was worth making the call to ask for help. When I encounter situations like Linda’s, I cannot imagine the financial stress they are going through, and how hard it could be to experience life-threatening health conditions. I admire how people do it and survive it. CSS is thankful to our generous donors who make it possible to help families in tough circumstances like Linda and Maggie.
If you feel called to help people who are struggling financially like Linda, please let us know by making a donation online at csshope.org. and selecting Family Support Services on the donate page. Your donation can help prevent someone from homelessness, avoid a utility disconnection, assist with medical bills, and so much more.
If you can’t help monetarily at this time, please keep our agency and our clients in your prayers for Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed (Proverbs 19:17). Thank you!
