Brenda Blacker
Witnessing the Testimonials at the Conferences, I never imagined that my family would be a recipient. I am humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude to my co-worker who nominated my family and to Family Bonds for their support.
I began my agency with TLN in 2011 with the love of creating my own family vacations and wanted others to share those memories with their loved ones.
In 2017, a change of life events altered our dreams. My husband of 39 years was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer, my father passed away after a fall, and my 4-year-old grandson was diagnosed with Battens CLN2 (an incurable genetic disorder).
My grandson, Liam, began treatments in 2018 for Batten disease (not curable) but gives the gift of time. The treatments required traveling 3 hours each way to Chicago every 14 days and now going on 6 years of treatments.
My husband passed away in 2018 after 18 months of cancer dx and treatments. Six weeks later my mother passed away.
Our large family who loved and cherished our vacation times together was disappearing.
In 2021, after adjusting to our new life, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I underwent chemo, surgery, and radiation. I am now in remission.
As we went through our life challenges as most families do, we adjusted again.
Then the hardest challenge came Nov 2023, when my 46-year-old son-in-law (Liam’s father) passed away unexpectedly while going to work. He was a loving father to Liam and Max and a pillar of strength for my daughter. Billy was the main provider, carried the insurance, and shared caregiving for Liam with my daughter. Liam requires 24-hour care, and his condition will progress.
The donations to Family Bonds have helped our family to continue Liam’s journey which includes ongoing equipment costs, caregiving, treatments, and transportation to medical facilities. The love and support that comes from Family Bonds is immeasurable. We are blessed to be part of such a generous and caring community of advisors.
With much gratitude and a heartfelt thank you
– Brenda Blacker