Former Cancer Patient Makes Commitment to Help Others in Need
Bill and Dagmar Jurgens want to ensure that not one patient’s stay at The Nebraska Medical Center is compromised due to a lack of family funds or other basic needs. A cancer survivor himself, Bill and his wife are committed to helping others in need during this frightening and uncertain time. Since his successful stem cell transplant approximately two years at The Nebraska Medical Center, Bill has been reaching out to others as a regular contributor to the Nebraska Medical Center’s Patient Assistance Fund.
Bill has actually battled cancer twice.
The first time came when he was diagnosed with acute myeloma leukemia (AML) in April 2005. Jurgens spent the next seven months undergoing treatment. When the leukemia returned nine months later, Bill was referred to The Nebraska Medical Center for a stem cell transplant.
When Bill arrived at The Nebraska Medical Center, he was told he had a 30 percent chance of survival. His former doctors had written him off as uncurable. The doctors at The Nebraska Medical Center didn’t give up so easily. Since receiving a stem cell transplant in October of 2006, he has been cancer-free.
Throughout his treatment, friends and family rallied around Bill and Dagmar and their three children. They ran his business for him, J.H. Willy, an advertising specialty company, and provided emotional support.
Contributing to the Patient Assistance Fund is the Jurgens’ way of saying thank you. “This place saved my life,” says Bill. “The rest of my life is now about providing payback. I owe so much to this facility and to the many friends that helped me and my family.”
Much of the money in this fund comes from gifts made by grateful patients and friends such as the Jurgens, who want to help others. The Jurgens’ contributions have included t-shirts for the Polo for Patients fund-raising event, gas cards and financial contributions to families for lodging, meals, transportation and many other special needs.
“We have met so many people who have come here from different parts of the country to receive treatment,” says Dagmar. “We saw that there was definitely a need for financial assistance for many of these people. The Patient Assistance Fund allows us to help others during this time.”
“This has been a tremendously rewarding thing for us,” adds Bill. “There’s such a massive need.”
The Jurgens have found other ways to help cancer patients as well. They sell cancer awareness clothing items through their advertising specialty company and designate a portion of these sales to cancer causes. They also have established a relationship with the Downey-Short Foundation in Newport, Calif., which raises funds for cancer in the United States and other parts of the world. The Jurgens receive funding from this foundation to distribute to cancer causes in Nebraska.
“I can’t say enough about the greatness of the team at The Nebraska Medical Center,” says Bill. “They are like second family to me. We’ll give back the rest of our lives.”
“We are very grateful for Mr. Jurgen’s overwhelming generosity and continued donations to the Patient Assistance Fund,” says Glenn Fosdick, president and CEO of The Nebraska Medical Center. “No one should have to worry about providing for basic needs during a time of family crisis. Mr. Jurgen’s donations are helping make the patient and family experience the best it can be for many patients.”