Please Help If You Can

I have already sent this in an email, but just wanted to post this here as well. I wish there was more I could do to help. Please take the time to read it in case you or someone you know can help them. Margie and Ryan moved here the year after we did, and they were just awesome friends. Ryan went to Jared's same school (but in the podiatry program) and they went to our church, so we just had a lot in common from the start. Jared found a fellow fisherman in Ryan, and Margie and I just loved to hang out and talk and talk. For much of one year when Jared worked several late nights and when Ryan was doing a ton of rotations out-of-town, Margie and I did dinner every Thursday to keep from going crazy and the kids loved to play. We also loved calling the Hesses to go to the beach or the pool--they NEVER said no! :o)

Anyway, they are awesome and I could go on and on, but I don't want to wear you out before you even read Margie's words, so please read on and then spread the word. THANKS SO MUCH and GO Team Ryan Hess!! We know you'll beat this!

***FEDERAL EMPLOYEES- PLEASE DONATE LEAVE TO RYAN HESS***
My name is Margie Hess, my husband Ryan was diagnosed on June 12, 2009 with a rare and aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Since this is an aggressive form of T-Cell Lymphoma, his doctor has put him on an aggressive chemo regimen that will result in him being unable to work for the next 4-6 months and possibly longer. At the time of diagnosis he was finishing up his 1st year as a Podiatry Resident at the V.A. in Tucson, AZ. Ryan is a devoted husband and father of two children, Hallie (5) and Max (2). By the end of this month (June 2009), Ryan will use up the last of his vacation and sick leave and will have to go on unpaid leave. Ryan is the sole provider for our family; I stay at home with both the kids. Without him working we have no income. I need to stay home to help care for him, so I cannot get a job right now, either. 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. We were told that any federal employee (ie: military, Border Patrol, DEA, FB I, Dept of Justice, EPA etc. EXCEPT Post Office employees) 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. Thank you so much.
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:
OLIVIA McCLURE - Benefits Specialist (TUCSON V.A.)
Phone #: (520) 792-1450 x 6076
Fax # : (520) 629-1849
E-Mail : olivia.mcclure@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!

How to help if you are NOT a Federal Employee:

PASS this along to ANYONE and EVERYONE that you know and then ask them to pass the message along. Post it on blogs, Facebook...whatever you can think of.
Thanks again everyone- this will help SO much!

GO TEAM RYAN HESS!