A local firefighting family is facing some mounting medical-related expenses as both their young children battle severe health problems, and the community is being asked to help out.
Cal Fire Firefighter, Misty Blake and her U.S. Forest Service Firefighter husband, Jeremy Blake, who live in Atascadero, have two young children “are facing difficult medical conditions that will require extra patience, planning and parental resolve – and the public is encouraged to stand by their fellow neighbor during the challenging days ahead,” reads a news release from the Fire Family Foundation, a non-profit group that helps firefighters and the families.
Annie Blake, 4, was recently diagnosed with leukemia and has begun a 2-½ year treatment process, consisting of chemotherapy and steroids, which she has not responded well to. The treatment has disrupted her colon leaving her unable to eat or drink anything. Annie is being treated by doctors in Santa Barbara, where it’s a 250-mile round trip for every visit.
Benjamin Blake, Annie’s younger brother, recently had surgery for “a common birth defect for young developing boys,” and is being treated in Palo Alto, a 370-mile round trip.
Keeping up with the appointments and treatment will be extremely tough for the children’s parents, who expect to miss about 4 months of work to care for them, especially little Annie. The Foundation is asking for donations to help the family with these travel expenses and the huge deductibles from their insurance carriers.
“We are happy to support the Blake family in their time of need,” says Fire Family Foundation’s Executive Director, Robin McCarthy. “We ask the local Central California community of Atascadero, San Luis Obispo and surrounding areas to help support their neighbors with a donation to the fund we have created especially for the Blake Family. One hundred percent of donations will go directly to the Blakes as they face this difficult time in their lives.”
All donations to Fire Family Foundation are tax-deductible. To make a donation to the Blake Family, see: www.FireFamilyFoundation.com.
Fire Family Foundation is a nonprofit founded by Firefighters First Credit Union The Foundation offers immediate assistance to firefighters and their families, fire victims, fire departments, and charities. By coming together as a “fire family,” the organization said, assistance can be provided to those impacted by fire.
