Usually, young parents have no shortage of worries to go along with the lack of sleep and the random squalling of their new addition. Caring for a newborn is stressful! But it shouldn’t come with a fight for a young child’s life.
Unfortunately, that’s the situation one family in Alabama faces, but thankfully, it sounds like they’re getting some much needed help.
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Alabama’s Green family is finding out just how much their friends, family, and communities are rooting for them after a plea for help went viral.
Megan, David, and little Kinsley were thrown for a loop just before Kinsley’s first birthday, and although it has been undeniably tough, so far they’ve received some incredible support. However, they still need more help.
When Kinsley developed a petechial rash, David and Megan took her to the hospital.
The Huntsville, Alabama-based family soon had to travel to Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham for a series of tests, scans, and X-rays that resulted in a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Of course, Kinsley has had to undergo aggressive treatments, including chemo, surgery, and spinal taps.
And her parents, both teachers in Alabama’s public schools, have been there for her as much as humanly possible.
Megan took a temporary leave from her elementary school job, and David used his sick days from his job coaching high school football to drive back and forth between Hunstville and Birmingham.
However, David only has so many sick days to work with, and before long, he ran out.
So Megan took to Facebook to ask other teachers in the state to donate their sick days to David so he could spend more time with Kinsley.
“Kinsley is the biggest daddy’s girl and needs him to be here as often as he can,” she wrote , “so she would be thankful for any donated days so she can spend time with her Daddy.”
Kinsley still has many hurdles to overcome, with treatment continuing through the end of summer and possibly longer.
However, in Alabama, teachers can join a sick leave bank in which members can donate their sick days to other members, so there is a path to David being able to be there for his little daughter.
Megan’s Facebook post hadn’t been up long before folks started sharing it around, and she even received a few offers of sick days from generous strangers.
And many non-teachers have been stepping up to help Megan, David, and Kinsley however they can, too.
Time isn’t the only thing they need, obviously, as medical bills pile up. So the Greens started a dedicated Facebook page, Kinsley Kicks Cancer , to provide updates and ask for help. The community has shown up, hosting fundraisers and offering a variety of supports.
Kinsley Kicks Cancer already has more than 3,500 members, all pulling for this adorable little girl and her family.
They’ve also set up a GoFundMe page and an Amazon Wish List for all the non-teachers who can’t donate sick days but still want to help.
The response has been nothing short of incredible so far.
Shortly after Megan’s plea for sick days for David went viral, more help started pouring in, including a donation of $1,300 from the Karen Miller Agency and $600 from the Blockout Academy.
“To put the financial side of things into perspective one medicine that Kinsley needs when Kinsley is going through her two years of maintenance will cost us over $15,000 out of pocket because our insurance doesn’t cover it,” Megan wrote . “And that is just one medicine. So every donation is a huge help and we are so thankful for it!”
