Richard Nares lost his son in 2000 to a battle with cancer, and along the way met dozens of families with children fighting a similar fight – families that didn’t have the means &/or the support to regularly get their children to treatment centers; single moms forced to take leave from jobs without pay, kids having to ride the bus alone to their chemotherapy appointments, siblings left home alone while their brothers or sisters went to the hospital.  Heartbroken by the broken U.S. healthcare system, Nares decided to do something about it; originally heading to Rady Children’s Hospital and giving in-need kids and their families rides on his spare time.  Soon thereafter – when demand for his services began to outstrip his ability to meet them – he started the Emilio Nares Foundation, a multi-driver, non-profit organization that provides more then 2,500 rides a year for low-income families with children battling cancer.  In addition to the free rides, Nares’ nonprofit provides support services and assistance to its clientele, many of whom do not speak English; providing translation services and an on-site resource center at Rady to help them navigate the often-complex insurance systems, legal issues, and medical diagnoses.

 

“It’s extremely tough these days, not just emotionally, but financially as well.  Sometimes, both parents have to either leave their job or cut back severely. Some of them don’t have an extra $10 to pay for cafeteria food … I didn’t even know what a foundation was.  But I saw there was a need and I wanted to address that need.” ~ Richard Nares

Filed under: In LOVE with Humanity by Scaughdt