Teacher asks co-workers to donate extra sick days so he can spend time with his daughter with cancer
Megan Green calls her doe-eyed daughter Kinsley, 1, “the biggest daddy’s girl.”
That’s why Megan posted on Facebook asking Alabama public school educators to share donate their extra sick days to Kinsley’s dad, David, a high school football coach at Jemison High School in Huntsville. He needs the time so he can spend more time in the hospital with his daughter, who was diagnosed with leukemia in October.
“David is officially out of sick days at work,” Megan, an elementary teacher in Huntsville, posted on her Facebook along with a photo of the father-daughter duo. “Kinsley is the biggest daddy’s girl and needs him to be here as often as he can, so she would be so thankful for any donated days so she can spend time with her Daddy.”
Shortly before Kinsley’s first birthday, the Huntsville couple took their daughter to the hospital after she developed a petechial rash. Soon after, the infant was referred to the Children’s of Alabama, where, after several tests, CT scans, labs, and x-rays, Kinsey was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Since her diagnosis, the young cancer patient has received aggressive treatments including surgery, spinal taps and intensive chemotherapy. While Megan took a temporary leave from her job at Sonnie Hereford Elementary, David has been driving back and forth from Huntsville to the hospital in Birmingham.
David and Megan soon began a Facebook group called “Kinsley Kicks Cancer” to share updates on the baby’s condition and to ask for help as the two Alabama public school teachers support their daughter through her treatment.
“This girl. My warrior. My who. My what. My why. Please continue to pray for our girl!” Megan shared on the Kinsley Kicks Cancer page. “We stand with her as she fights this battle.”
The Kinsley Kicks Cancer community of over 3,500 Facebook users has been dedicated to her cause. Since the Greens started the page, they have received tremendous support from their friends, family members and students, who have hosted various fundraisers to help the couple pay for the high and unexpected medical costs.
However, by March, David had run out of paid sick days, with a long road still ahead for Kinsley’s treatment. According to her Facebook page, the infant will be receiving inpatient treatment at Children’s of Alabama until the fall and outpatient treatment until October 2021. So, Megan used Facebook to plead with fellow public school teachers to donate more time for her husband.
“Kinsley will be in treatment for leukemia through the end of the summer and maybe even into the beginning of the school year next year,” she wrote. “Any help would be appreciated.”
According to state laws, Alabama public school employees may voluntarily join a sick leave bank to obtain additional sick leave days to “avoid loss of compensation due to a catastrophic illness or injury.” The laws also allow for members of the sick leave bank program to donate their extra days to fellow members. Now, countless teachers across the state are offering up their unused sick days to the high school football coach.
“Hello Megan, my name is Stacey and I want to donate days,” wrote one user. “Praying daily for you and David and your sweet baby girl.”
The plea to their fellow teachers has since gone viral. The post has been shared over 1,200 times since Megan posted to her Facebook yesterday evening. Users eager to help have begun tagging friends who work for Alabama public schools. The Greens were so overwhelmed by the messages of compassion and generosity, they had to share their GoFundMe page and Amazon Wish List so others could help them in their time of need.
“While sick days remain our priority at this time so we can be together many have asked other ways to help,” Megan wrote. “We are overwhelmed with the amount of shares this post has had! Thank you for sharing!”
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