By Megan Moyer, senior marketing communications specialist, for the Tradition of Giving blog series
Last year, the first week of March, I came in on Monday to learn my co-worker and friend, Jen, had left early the Friday before not feeling well (I had been off). She wasn’t at work yet, so I texted her to see if she was feeling any better and her husband responded that she had been taken to the hospital that morning via ambulance after he found her unresponsive. We soon learned that Jen had bacterial meningitis, an infection that can have awful outcomes.
To say I was scared is an understatement. It was really difficult to concentrate that day, at that point hoping that Jen would pull through. She has three small children, then aged six, four, and six months.
I talked with my team and we debated what we could do for Jen and her family that would be most helpful. In the end we decided to raise funds to help with the medical costs incurred from her hospitalization and ongoing treatment while recovering.
I have to say, we excel at raising funds for those organizations or individuals that any one of us has a connection to and brings forward. Since we all are connected to Jen there were many that pitched in to assist with the three fundraisers I organized. I was overwhelmed many times during the process at how generous my fellow associates were with their time and donations. I know Jen and her family were touched by it all as well.
Thanks to her strength, prior good health, wonderful medical care, perseverance, and support from her family and friends, she did get through her recovery with the good fortune to avoid some of the more debilitating effects. You can read her perspective here.
We’re all incredibly thankful Jen came through that difficult time. I’m happy I got my friend back. And I’m very grateful to work for a company that has such compassion and truly supports what matters most — its people.