My name is Brian Leonard, I was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer in December of 2023. I am a family man that wants and likes to take care of my family. I have not been able to do that due to I am unable to work. I still have many battles to face with drs appointments and a surgery. I at this time have no idea how soon I can return back to work. I have a wonderful wife that is working full time and doing her best to provide for myself and our 3 kids. Their ages are 7,9,13. We unfortunately don’t have family that we could ask for help. We are just trying to do what we can do to get through this time. It is a struggle for food and paying bills. We are utilizing food shelfs. We were just notified by our landlord that our rent went up $200.oo. Not what we needed. We have never had to ask for help. We have always been able figure out our downfalls. This is just to overwhelming. We are trying to keep this going as positive as we can so this does not affect our children. School will be starting soon and we honestly have no clue where to come up with extra money for school supplies and clothes. It is breaking our hearts not to be able to provide for our children. My wife and myself are middle aged and we have adopted all 3 of our children to give them a better life. I know things happen in life that we have no control over but how do we give them a better life when we are struggling with just making our bills so that we have a roof over our heads. This is no bodys fault things happen in life that we have no control over. It is just extremely hard. Our children don’t know how bad we are struggling but we pray to god and St. Jude every night to help us. I have never not worked. I feel that I need to do something to help my family but I am very limited. What we need I can’t give them right now. I just want to say thank you to all that read out story. We know that we are not the only ones out there struggling. God bless all. From the Leonard family to yours thank you for listening.
