A friend of ours needs your help!
This incredible woman with the beautiful smile is Jessica Dean, she has an amazing story and she needs your help. Her best friend, also named Jessica (Jess) is a regular on my blog and we've done a ton of photo shoots for her and her family. Well, a few years ago, we met Jessica Dean through her friend Jess when we found out that Jess was throwing Jessica a surprise bridal shower. You see, Jessica never had the big wedding…she never had the dream dress or all of the pomp and circumstance that goes with most weddings because her fiance had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. In order to get him the help he needed financially (mostly through her insurance) they decided to marry in a courthouse to make it legal and begin their lives fighting to save his. She sat with him in the hospital rooms, drove him to and from appointments and stuck with him through everything. She dealt with this for 2 years until he decided he wanted to move on with his life and surprised her by filing for divorce recently. Their divorce became final the same week that she found out that she now has breast cancer. She has already been through one surgery and has at least 2 more scheduled soon…she will be dealing with chemo and radiation treatments, an MRI, wigs and even more travel expenses over the next few months.
Her best friend, Jess, contacted me about this last week and we came up with a plan to help Jessica financially through this journey. Jess is selling raffle tickets at work and online through a new website that she set up called Jessica's Fund. Local businesses have donated products and services for her to raffle off as donations come in through the website. For every $10 that is donated, your name will be placed in the drawing twice and for every $20 that is donated, your name will be placed in the drawing for 5 chances to win one of the awesome prizes she's raffling off. We donated a gift card for a free portrait session with a high resolution CD included (valued at $599.00), a local dentist office donated a free Zoom whitening session, an optometrist donated a gift certificate for free glasses/frames and more donations from local restaurants and businesses have been pouring in over the last few days…so there are a few ways we're asking for help from our faithful blog readers:
1. You can make a donation on her website (and indicate "Raffle" in the subject line) which will automatically enter you into the drawing for the great prizes and most importantly, it will help a very worthwhile cause!
2. If you are a local business owner or manager and would like to donate something for the raffle, please contact Jess at [email protected]
3. Or if you're like us, you can do both! 🙂
The drawing will be held in about two weeks and Jess has not told Jessica about any of this…it's all a complete surprise…hope she doesn't follow this blog! LOL So, if any of you know her, please do not tell her about this, we want to try to keep it a surprise for her. Jess will be surprising her with the savings deposit slip showing the amount of money we've all helped raise for her when she does the raffle drawing with her in 2 weeks. I'm so lucky to have such amazing clients like the two of them that I can call my friends. 🙂
Rhonda
I want to do this, even though I won’t really be able to use the prizes, since I don’t live in the area. Such a sad story.
Erin
Awwh, thanks Rhonda!! I know, we all just feel awful for her…she’s been through SO much and now this. Hopefully by the use of all of our websites, blogs and networks, we’ll be able to raise enough money for her to get through this quickly with flying colors. 🙂
Martha Piercefield
Jessica Dean is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever worked with. I didn’t know her well in the social aspect, but she is a gem and a truly special nurse. This story shows what people go through everyday and you may not have a clue…so be kind because there may be a great deal going on behind that smile or whatever you think you are seeing in the person you are standing next to…. I hope my prayers will give her a little more strength. God bless all of you for reaching out to Jessica, you are kind and gracious spirits.
Erin
Agreed! Thanks Martha for your support! 🙂
Amy
I just want you to know I will do what I can to help. I also copied this blog and posted it on myspace, hopefully it will get around some more for others to help. I hope you don’t mind me copying your blog, but I felt you would understand. My thoughts, prayers and heart go out to Jessica.
Erin
Hi Amy!
I LOVE that you posted this on MySpace, the more social networking sites we can get this info on, the more people will see it and help her out, thank you!! 🙂
Erin
Missy Gold
Being a mother who had a child who spent many months in the hospital, I can completely sympathize with how hard it must be for Jessica to not have the emotional and financial support that she needs during this terribly difficult time in her life. I think what you are doing is incredibly wonderful and I hope that everyone finds it in their heart to help her out, even if it is just with emotional support. I hope that everyone’s generosity will show Jessica that she is loved and cared about…even by complete strangers. She will be in my family’s thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted on how she is doing! God bless.
Missy
April Davenport
I just want to say thank you for all the support for sister Jessica Dean. I know that she will pull through this ordeal. Jessica is one strong person. Please continue to pray for her. We all need her in our life. Jessica has had such a big impact in my life. Not only is she beautiful she is extremely intelligent. So please continue to keep her in your prayers. Thank you!!
Teresa Coverdale
Jessica is a wonderful person. I worked with her for a short time at Riley. She was always so upbeat even when circumstances where not nice to her. The manager we had was down right hateful at times, but Jessica could put on a pretty smile and hold her head because she knew she could have pity on this unhappy person. I pray for Jessica and her physical and emotional well being. Bad things do happen to really good people but in the next life she will be redeemed. I love that girl as my own daughter. So my heart aches to hear her sorrows but I know there is a Higher Power and He will be her comforter when none of us can. He will hold her hand through all these scary and painful things. Somehow I know she will overcome, she will live a happy life again without the heartaches. I miss her terribly but one day we meet again.
Joy Nguyen-Oxenrider
I still remember her beautiful Smile and contagious laugh!! It was always a pleasure working with her. I know she will get through this. God only has great things in store for her.
Joy