News from Lori's Parents

10 July 1999

In this update:


A special request on behalf of Lori and us

Neil Webner of Columbus Ohio who, like so many of you who have helped sustain us through some difficult times, is a man we have never met. He is a man who has written numerous letters and made numerous calls on behalf of Lori, he has involved his church community for Lori, and he has generously given of his time without ever telling us of the agony that he and his family have endured over the horrible illness of his 9-year old grand-daughter Lindsey. A few months ago, he shared this story with us and we have received updates from him and his children Mark and Denise Webner on the condition of Lindsey since.

Lindsey Webner, a courageous and wonderful child is a symbol of goodness and purity. She has endured enormous suffering in her young life and has done so with a sense of cheerfulness and maturity that indicates that she is truly special. However, reading the emails from Neil and from Mark and Denise these past few months we can see why -- this family is truly special. They epitomize everything beautiful about the Judeo-Christian ethic that guides so many of us, and we as a family admire them tremendously.

Lindsey has spent several months in the hospital at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Lori is one of thousands of people who have written to her. Last week, Rhoda informed Lori that Lindsey's bone marrow transplant failed and that she is soon to undergo another. Unfortunately, Lori is not permitted to call Lindsey and the letter Lori was planning to write her cannot be sent until Rhoda returns to Peru next weekend. Lindsey has once again started chemotherapy in preparation for receiving her new blood cells on Monday, a transfusion from a human donor.

The family asks that we "flood the Heavens with prayer" at noon on Monday, July 12th -- that the cells engraft soon and that Lindsey is kept safe from all of the life-threatening events that this experience exposes her to and that her organs continue to function properly over the next few weeks.

Words of support and hope could be sent to Denise and Mark at dmwebner@yahoo.com or to Neil and Donna at nwebner@email.msn.com

May God's light and love shine on Lindsey and her family.


- Rhoda and Mark Berenson