FOR FREEPER JEFF HEAD
Jeff at his daughter's (Becki) wedding in 2009.
Jim Robinson, the owner of FreeRepublic has graciously approved this Fund Raiser and Leave Donation thread that a number of us wanted to put together for well-known Freeper, and our friend, Jeff Head. (Moderators, please consider keeping this thread at the top of its category until the goals are reached.)
In December 2009 Jeff was diagnosed with bone cancer. A rare sacral chordoma was found on his sarcum. His only medical recourse is very major and dangerous surgery to completely remove his sacrum and then rebuild the structure. The two surgeries necessary are currently scheduled for April 27th and April 30th, 2010. This surgery will require a four month period of hospital stay, recovery, rehabilitation, and radiation at the MD Anderson Medical Center in Houston, Texas, which is 2000 miles away from Jeff's home in Idaho.
Any freeper who can, and who will not themselves be put out either financially or from a leave basis by so doing, is aksed to consider donating so as to help Freeper Jeff Head through this crisis. Your faith and prayers on behalf of Jeff and his family are also requested. There are two ways to help, monetarily and with leave. will track the donations here on this thread against the goals.
FUND DONATIONS : (Goal: $10,000. Current amount donated $1,605.00)
Jeff has good medical insurance, but the four month stay in Houston is going to require significant expense beyond his means including an apartment very close to MD Anderson with handicap services and gated for security. His rehabilitation will be a major effort and will not come cheaply, either in terms of pain and effort or cost. Jeff has an additional $1,000 per month he is applying in addition to maintaining his household in Idaho while he is gone. But for he and his wife Gail to stay in Houston for the four months is going to cost between $2,200 and $2,500 per month more than he has.
If you are willing, and able, you can donate funds to Jeff to help him while in Houston at the following link, either by PayPal, Credit Card, or by Check to the address indicated.
DONATE HERE TO THE JEFF HEAD CHORDOMA CANCER FUND
Any funds left over after Jeff's rehab will be donated on a 50/50 basis to the Chordoma Foundation which is a non-profit group dedicated to research and education about Chordoma Cancer, and to Freerepublic.com.
LEAVE DONATIONS : (Goal: 540 hours. Current amount donated: 385 hours)
Jeff works for the US Bureau of Reclamation helping produce electricity and irrigation water for our nation in the intermountain west. And Federal Employee can donate leave to Jeff. Emploeeys of the Department of Interior should use the following PDF form:
In Agency Leave Share Form OP-630A (http://www.jeffhead.com/chordoma/opm630a.pdf )
Employees of other Federal Agencies should use the following PDF form:
Outside Agency Leave Share Form OP-630B (http://www.jeffhead.com/chordoma/opm630b.pdf)
Once the form is filled out, mail it to:
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Pacific Northwest Regional Office
Attn: Voluntary Leave Transfer Program Coordinator, PN-7425
1150 N. Curtis Road, Suite 100
Boise, ID 83706-1234
This leave can only be used for the medical emergency and any leave remaining at the end of Jeff's medical emergency will be returned on a pro-rated basis to those who donated it.
Jeff has been keeping and posting a journal of his experience for as long as he can at the following two links:
JEFF HEAD'S SACRAL CHORDOMA EXPERIENCE (on JEFFHEAD.com)
JEFF HEAD'S SACRAL CHORDOMA EXPERIENCE (on Facebook)
There is a reeRepublic prayer thread for Jeff at the following link.
FREEREPUBLIC PRAYER THREAD FOR JEFF HEAD
If you want to understand Jeff's political, moral, and constitutional beliefs, which are very well published here on FR and around the web, use the following three links:
AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS OF HISTORY (By Jeff Head>
RESTORE THE CONSTITUTION - A FreeRepublic Alliance Effort
THE STAND AT KLAMATH FALLS - HOW FARMERS STOOD UP TO THE FEDERAL GOV'T & ENVIRONMENTALISTS
Jeff has also created a very popular Youtube video you most certainly will enjoy watching and which should be spread around in any case: