Cliff, Faith, NC

Headshot of C. Bernhardt.
 

In 1967, I had been married fifteen years with three children. While operating a crane on a construction site, I engaged a high power line carrying thirteen thousand volts of electricity. This you might say was “a bump in the road of life” costing me a right arm, left thumb, and right ear. I overcame the “bump” and completed thirty-five years of service before retiring. In 1994, I had to have a quadruple heart bypass, another “bump in the road.” All is going well. Then in 2012, my white blood count was sky high – another “bump.” It was Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). With more testing, I encountered another “bump,” which turned out to be lung cancer. This was eliminated on January 2, 2013 by surgery. But, let’s go back to the CML. This disease can be controlled by medication taken once a day. The medication has an astronomical cost but is necessary to keep me alive. While it is extremely important to take it, the cost can financially destroy me. What could I do? This was truly a big “bump,” but through the staff at my oncology center, I was introduced and accepted by the HealthWell Foundation. To the Foundation, I will be forever grateful. How do you say “thank you” to an organization who gives you life, peace of mind, and a future? From the bottom of my heart, thank you!