Kathy Becklin
kathybecklin.com
sent from my iPhone

Yes, I have brain cancer…about the worst possible kind one could have but the real issue here is that I became physically disabled overnight and became totally dependent on others for my physical survival.. Last week, I thought of the analogy of Crocodile Dundee who landed in NYC from the Outback. That is similar to what I’m going through. I can go nowhere nor do anything on my own.
The nature and treatment of this cancer is different from other cancers such as breast cancer. I’ll make no judgment on better or worse…just different. The chemo for breast cancer may be more grueling but breast cancer is easier to cure than what I have.

If I were poor, and uninsured, without the support that I have, I would not have lasted until now, trust me! As it is, with under insurance, i am racking up many thousands of dollars a month…in prescriptions alone.

I had to wake dr. Bob up at 4 am because I experienced the worst focal seizure I’ve had to date. He held me,breathed through it with me, cried, and assured me that I was going to get through it. I did and I will talk with the doctor later this am about the seizure but this is a mystery to them as well as it is to me.

My “condition” brings up all kinds of issues..personal, cultural, societal and financial. As a former teacher, I’ve dealt with kids with disabilities in school and have witnessed what happens with adults who suddenly become disabled…too much to talk about here. There are handicapped people who can be a joy to work with and others who are an energy drain. My goal is to stay fun.

Because I don’t look that bad, I suppose, and because I have a good attitude, sometimes people expect me to deliver more than I can.I know I have been annoying at times to family and friends! They forget or just don’t appreciate my limitations because, thank god, they’ve never had a brain tumor.

As we are coming into the last 2 weeks of this fundraiser, and some of us are losing our enthusiasm, some are wondering if we’ve sold any tickets? Wondering if we’re going to pull this off, not feeling empowered to “sell this event”, tired from all the political campaigns and other fundraisers…please remember that the real issue is my instant physical disability caused by the cancerous brain tumor and the cost of dealing with it!, and part of my mission is to lead the way to hope and healing for us all.

Let’s please communicate well with each other and give each other energy to create a really successful event that we can pass on to the community!

The article in The Maui Weekly was great!….and I do hope to remain The Queen of your Hearts! It’s a big title to live up to.

KW Cares is the heart of the Keller Williams Realty culture in action – finding and serving the higher purpose of business through charitable giving in the communities where our agents live and work.  Although KW Cares is an official non-profit, they will not accept funds to be applied directly to any individual.  Each office has goals to contribute yearly most of which comes from agents contributions at escrow closings.   In addition, local offices are expected to do local fundraisers as we did this year raising money for the Maui Food Bank.

When applying for a grant, extensive financial, personal and medical records showing need are submitted.  The local Keller Williams office ensures that the applicant is an active agent or direct family member.   On the grant application,  the local office must demonstrate that it has done it’s own fundraising for the cause.  We have established a separate account for collecting contributions for Darbee under the name — The Queen of Our Hearts.  The local KW office is monitoring this account to ensure that the information needed for a matching grant is available.

Your contributions through our The Queen of Our Hearts fundraising efforts are NOT tax-deductible but are considered gifts directly to Darbee and her family.  The good news for Darbee is that any gift from an individual should not be taxable. Please consult with your CPA or IRS if you have questions.

We hope to be able to stretch your contributions further by getting a matching grant from KW Cares for Darbee.   Read stories about how KW Cares has made a difference in lives.

All proceeds from the sale will go to benefit “The Queen of Our Hearts”.   There have been some amazing advance donations so this is an event not to be missed.  Send this link to friends and family using the “Sharing is Caring” links below.

If you can’t make the sale but would like to donate to help Darbee, you can make a donation through PayPal below.

Jean presents Darbee with her June KW sales award

Jean Keating leads the gang

gathering materials for volunteers

Figuring out our assignments

Darbee shares a laugh with Maui Meadows neighbors, Karin Carlson and Tom Croly

Darbee receives her KW sales award for June 2010

There are many homes here in our beloved neighborhood and we have an additional Saturday of flyer distribution planned for  the 17th. We have maps of those houses contacted and those who haven’t been seen yet. We have the supplies needed for those who want to spread the word. Please call Jean Keating at 280-9024 to volunteer.

Mahalo nui loa!

My husband, “dr. Bob”, was horrified, of course, witnessing me losing control of my body,  as were other friends who witnessed the dives into the grass.

Initially, even with a cane and a walker, I could not enter or exist my own home without physical assistance from dr. Bob who taught me how to get up and down those 3 steps holding onto his arm with my left hand and using  a cane on the other side.

This is  when dr. Bob called our contractor friend, Chris Wetzell, and proposed building a handicapped accessible ramp up to our front door. Both dr. Bob and Chris are true artists. Chris has been remodelling his whole life with his Dad as his mentor. He’s been licensed since 2002 and has experience doing handicapped remodels. He’s our man!

Conferencing on the ramp

dr. Bob priming the ramp

Conferencing on the Ramp

Chris Wetzell, power man

Chris Wetzell with assistant, Rosalie Yaksic

Amazing angles, cuts and joins on the ramp

Darbee receives her KW sales award for June 2010

dr. Bob and Chris researched codes, designed, staked, poured a little concrete, and Chris cut some crazy angles to make a ramp that I can’t imagine being easier to use! We even used it as the meeting place for our volunteers, who distributed Yard Sale flyers in Maui Meadows  last Saturday. How cool is that to be able to sit under the shade of the Plumeria tree on our ramp and have a meeting?