About 11 month ago, Jera’s mother Era had noticed her daughter’s face swelling rapidly. When Jera explained it was getting hard for her to breathe, Era took Jera to the hospital. Thinking it was allergies, Jera was prescribed medication to ease the swelling. When this did not work, Era took her daughter back to the hospital for an MRI. “They would not give us [Era and her husband] the results”, said Era.

The local doctors sent Jera and her family to St. Jude Midwest Affiliate Hospital in Peoria for further evaluations. There, her parents were told about a mass on their daughter’s heart. A biopsy was conducted. Five days later, Jera’s parents were told she had Leukemia.

“Our world collapsed,” said Era.

Jera lives 90 miles from the hospital and her treatment regimen required daily chemo treatments. Era attends work during the day while Julius, Jera’s father, works night shifts. Without a transportation option to get to St. Jude for treatment, Jera and her mother started calling taxis. “One night,” Era explained, “It was snowing, Jera was scared, and the first taxi driver said it was too far to drive them.”  Another taxi decided to take them, however it was an awful experience. “The taxi smelled so bad it was making Jera sick”, said Era.

The social worker at St. Jude Midwest Affiliate referred the family to Compass to Care for support.  With limited options to get the family from their home to the hospital, Compass to Care relies on a partnership they built with UBER Health to transport the family.

“Every time that we need you, you are there for us. Thank you, thank you, for all of your support”, Era commented.  “God bless your organization. You guys are awesome!”