Yakima – Sisters Dawn Mason and Lori Anderson do everything together. That’s why Mason didn’t hesitate to step up and care for Anderson when she got diagnosed with terminal cancer last month.
Anderson was told she only has six months to a year to live. Mason brought Anderson from Tricities to Yakima, so she could care for her. Anderson has been at Yakima Valley Memorial for about a week now. She started chemo yesterday and expects to go back home on Friday.
“I can’t wait,” Anderson said. “I can’t wait, its been maddening here.”
There’s just one problem, Mason has trouble getting Anderson in and out of her house because she’s not able to walk anymore. Since Anderson needs to make it to chemo treatments, she needs a wheelchair ramp.
“There’s no other way, it took everything we had to try to get me up there a couple of times,” Anderson said. “Then it got to the point where we couldn’t and the ambulance almost couldn’t get me up there or out of there twice.”
However, Mason can’t afford it.
“Not right now, there’s just no way. I’ve been spending every extra penny that I have on getting her diapers, her personal items,” Mason said.
Mason is asking the community for help to build a wheelchair ramp at her house. She said she’s posted on the Yakima Cares Facebook group and a few volunteer locations. Someone reached out to her offering her an already built ramp but she has no way to haul it to her house. Mason said the volunteer organizations she contacted said they don’t have enough volunteers at the moment.
She hopes someone one reaches out that can help them build a ramp about 16 to 20 feet long, haul the one offered to her, or help with funds hopefully before Friday.
Anderson said she’s extremely grateful for her sister.
“Now she really went out of her way for me,” Anderson said. “Words can’t explain it… I have no one else.”
“My best friend. We do everything together, she takes care of me every time I need help.”
If you’d like to help this family, you can reach out to Dawn Mason on the Yakima Cares page on Facebook or contact her at (509) 853 -9909.
