THE BORDER REPORT

Updated with donation information at bottom.

Alright, let's see if we can't help someone out here. Ryan Hess is a Podiatry Resident at the VA Hospital in Tucson. He is 30 years old and was diagnosed with lymphoma in June 2009. A friend of his wrote me, telling me that after three rounds of chemo and a bone marrow transplant, he went into remission last January. Then he relapsed; the cancer is back, in his blood and liver. Federal employees are able to donate sick days to help his family with salary and, more importantly, health insurance. This weekend, he'll no longer have health insurance. Apparently, Ryan has a six year and a three year old.

This is the email I received today. If you can help, help.

Donations can be sent online by charge card or PayPal at this Web site or mail to: Ryan and Margie Hess PO BOX 1066 Sahuarita, AZ 85629

My name is Ryan Hess and I was diagnosed on June 12, 2009 with a rare and aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Over the past 7 months I have received enough donated leave from federal employees to help me keep a paycheck and health insurance throughout 3 rounds of chemotherapy and most recently a bone marrow transplant. I went into remission on January 12, 2010 but found out this last week that the cancer has come back in my blood and liver. I have finished one year of residency at the Veteran's Hospital in Tucson, Arizona. All of your generosity with donating leave and spreading the word has kept food on our table and kept a lot of stress out of our lives during this time.

As difficult as it is for our family to have to ask for help, we have realized that we must do so at this time so that we can keep our health insurance and pay for our medical bills and daily living expenses. I was planning on going back to work this summer but now that the cancer has come back I must continue treatment. We were told that any federal employee (civilian military, Border Patrol, DEA, FBI, IRS, Dept of Justice, EPA, etc.) except active military and postal workers can donate vacation time to be used as sick leave for another federal employee. We would be so thankful for any number of extra paid days we can accumulate so we can continue to have health insurance. Thank you so much for your help and your prayers as I fight this battle. My wife Margie and my children Hallie (6) and Max (3) also extend their deep appreciation. How can you help if you ARE a Federal Employee? Go to your HR department and request to donate leave to Ryan Hess who works for the VA. (Your HR person will know the form that needs to be filled out- each Federal agency has their own form to donate leave) Once filled out and signed, the HR person will then need to fax or e-mail the form to: Brenda Joy - Benefits Specialist (TUCSON V.A.) Phone #: (520) 792-1450 x 4409 Fax # : (520) 629-1849 attn: Brenda Joy E-Mail : Brenda.Joy@va.gov ALSO, for those who are federal employees, please print out this message and post it in break/lunch rooms to help get the word out as well as emailing it to co-workers.