Indiannapolis Airport Communications Specialist Needs Support

911 Cares,  

Airport Communications Specialist Sarah Owen has a 15 year old son named Stuart, who has recently been diagnosed with a condition called Histiocytosis.  Although very treatable, he faces six or more months of rehab and the very real possibility of reoccurrence and chemotherapy.  Sarah and her son are lucky in the fact that we have an excellent children's hospital in Indianapolis, and in the fact that Stuart's condition was caught early, before additional damage could have occurred.  Sarah has medical coverage for a good portion of her son's medical bills, but since she has to take time off of work to take care of her son's needs, her ability to maintain her home and utilities has been put in jeopardy.  I am writing on behalf of her family to request a 9-1-1 cares activation for her, both to garner support for her son Stuart, who is exhausted and probably more scared than he has let on, and a request for thoughts, prayers, and if possible financial help for the Owen family, who are attempting to cope with the loss of half of their income, while Sarah is caring for Stuart and driving him back and forth between doctor appointments and such.  

Stuart is a pretty special young man, who has approached his illness and treatment with surprising good humor and courage.  He's had a spinal tap (and a related procedure called a "blood patch", when the headaches from the spinal tap got too severe), and his immediate short term plans are filled with trips to the doctor, hospital stays, bone scans, and other tests.  Stuart could probably use some cards and support from agencies across the country, and I'm sure if others were familiar with similar cases, he would find such stories comforting.  Stuart is also autistic, so anything physical he could hold or touch would convey a greater meaning.  Just throwing out ideas, I wonder if we could arrange for him to get patches from agencies around the country, or models of patrol cars (Stuart, like every teenage boy I know, loves cars.)   If you have any ideas, I'd appreciate your suggestions...  His mailing address, for cards, well wishes, or whatever, is....          

Stuart Owen        
P.O. Box 21        
Bainbridge, Indiana 46105  

The Owen Family has set up an account to help defray the household bills and fuel costs associated with Stuart's diagnosis and his ongoing treatment.  Contact info is....          

Tri-County Bank of Bainbridge, Indiana        
FBO Account for Harrison "Stuart" Owen        
203 East US Highway 36 East
Bainbridge, Indiana 46105  

Funds raised will go 100% to defray the household costs and expenses not covered by Sarah's insurance.  Her family is out half their income, and while we are lucky to have short term disability insurance where we work, it only covers us if we are sick ourselves, and unable to work.  It doesn't cover us taking time off to attend to children or other loved ones.  

For information or updates on Sarah, you can use me as a point of contact.  My contact info follows.

Thanks for your help, and thanks for the service you provide to your colleagues in their time of need!    

Matthew Payne
Airport Communications Specialist II
c/o Indianapolis Airport Operations Center
2500 South High School Road
Indianapolis, Indiana 46241