My name is Jason.
I would like to share a story. When I was younger, my grandmother would do everything for me. I remember coming home to her after middle school and being able to do my homework and stuff my face with mac and cheese (or anything i can get my hands on). I have always had good memories with my grandmother. Going to see the rockettes in NYC, going to church with her (even if i would like to or not), and celebrating every holiday with her at her favorite restaurant Cals.
Everything was normal, I was in my sophomore year of college, headed to Boston for my degree in Graphic Design. During the summer, everything changed....
My father told me that my grandmother has endured kemo over the past year and hasn't helping her condition. I still didn't know what he was talking about. No one really did until it seemed too late.
My grandmother was diagnosed with Lung Cancer about a year prior to me finding out. My father told me she hid it from everyone because she didn't want anyone to worry about her. I was confused. I felt sort of lost.
Throughout the summer I spent my days with her at her side at Wingate of South Hadley. They helped her feel comfortable until the doctors could figure out what to do next since the kemo has not helped one bit, just made her weaker. It was hard to see...
The more time she stayed at Windgate, the more it seemed nothing could be done. My parents, my sister, and my brother all started talking like nothing could be done. "What would happen to the house?" "What is going to happen?" were asked a lot. I couldn't hear it. I still had hope for my grandmother. I told her that I will be here to help her get better until she is cured.
I few weeks passed and I got a phone call... My grandma was in the Emergency room. Her breathing was getting heavier and she wasn't coherent. No one could talk to her, and she couldn't even get out of bed by herself. My wild family was there that night. My brother, my sister, my mom and dad, my uncle, brother-in-law and even my best friend Eliseo who was visiting me was there to support me.
2 hours after we all got to the hospital... she had passed.
One moment that struck with me was a talk with my brother-in-law. I was mad and frustrated that nothing was done for so long. I felt that no one was even caring that she was in this condition. I felt i was the only one really having hope and wanting to help. But my brother-in-law told me that Hope is never lost. That everything could be done up until that point and that us not knowing what was going on for so long didn't help either.
To this day, I still feel I could have done more to help.
This is why I am here. I found Free to Breathe in the hopes of helping others, showing my support and to continue to work in finding a cure.
A class that i am taking now allows me to showcase this foundation. I am excited to work with Free to Breathe and others in the community to make successful design to show what this organization is about.
I would love to talk to anyone in the community more about the organization and what they stand for, and the Branding behind it.
Thank you.
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