Applewood is Helping One Family Help Others
The MJ Children's Glioma Cancer Foundation was created by the parents of Marc Apodaca after he was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a brain cancer commonly referred to as DIPG. Glioma is a cancer that is disproportionately more frequent among young people. It is the second highest cause of death among children.
This type of cancer is considered incurable and inoperable. Very little help is available to the families of diagnosed children in Colorado. "Organizations like these, helping the general public become more aware of tragic health issues, impact an entire community." said John Ward, owner of Applewood Plumbing Heating & Electric. "It is a way to bring together families that are coping with similar situations."
When parents Marc and Lynette Apodaca first began researching their child's disease they found most information was in medical jargon and confusing. One of the Foundation's goals was to help families find different treatment options, and to facilitate families mentoring each other through hard times. "It's therapeutic. It helps me to know that someday we will have a cure," said Lynette, founder of the organization. "There is little a family can do medically after diagnosis, so our Foundation is helping to condense the information available into one place for parents," she said.
With the $1,000 from Applewood, the Foundation plans to start creating care packages for diagnosed children and their families. The packages will include a binder for parents with a medical journal and information about DIPG, as well as gift cards for food, medicine and gas. "This money means we have community support and can help more kids." said Apodaca. "It reinforces the goals we've set and lets us know we're going to be able to meet them."
Applewood Plumbing Heating & Electric has served the Denver/Boulder Metro area for more than 37 years. The company has consistently been rated one of the nation's top 10 service companies by their customers. They are honored to have achieved the Nexstar Network Select Service Designation, to have been named 2007 City of Golden Rotary Ethics in Business Award winner and also to have been named a finalist in the 2008 Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Trust.
For more information or to nominate a local nonprofit for the "Caring Community-12 in 12 Giveaway," call 720-249-5145 or go to www.ApplewoodFixIt.com.