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Yael has battled cancer for the last four years. During these trying times her infant son Yehuda developed a serious infection and his life hung by a thread. Yael and her husband were dealing with her own illness and could not properly care for Yehuda. When he was just two- and-a- half-year- old, the social services placed Yehuda in foster care so that Yael could focus on her recovery and he could be nursed back to health. Now Yael is home and regaining her strength, but since they have had no income in the past year they haven’t been able to properly provide for their family, or bring little Yehuda home to his loving parents…….

About four years ago Yael D., 35 years old, noticed something strange near her ribs. He doctor ordered tests and quickly reached terrible conclusions. The growth was an unusual type of a cancerous tumor. The doctor recommended an aggressive treatment plan.

A short while later, Yael discovered that she was expecting. Her health was compromised, but thankfully Yehuda was born healthy.

When baby Yehuda was about a year old, he came down with a cough that very quickly developed into pneumonia. The infection in his lungs travelled to his heart and Yehuda’s life hung in the balance. He was in a coma for nearly a month as the doctors struggled to keep Yehuda alive, and as his parents prayed his cardiomyopathy wouldn’t prove to be fatal. During this period of time, Yael’s husband, Yaakov, was unable to work, and he had to support their large family with only the 4000 ($1050) shekel stipend that they received from Bituach Leumi. Debts built up, and the financial burden was crushing, but Yaakov simply had no choice, he needed to care for his ailing wife and son.

Yaakov shares, “I have always been a very independent person. I would rather spend hours helping others than to have to once ask for help. The challenges that my family has faced in recent years have humbled me. At this point I ask for help if I need to, and I just pray that my family will stay afloat.”

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Yehuda miraculously pulled through, and after a few months in the hospital he was able to go home. The parents were deeply torn, but it was clear to them that they couldn’t give Yehuda the care that he needed in order to fully recover while Yael was in treatment and Yaakov cared for the other children. With broken hearts they turned to social services who placed Yehuda with a warm and caring foster family.

Yael has undergone painful and invasive treatments, including a recent delicate 7-hour surgery during which doctors removed the tumor, including five of her ribs which have been replaced by titanium. She is slowly recovering her strength, and the doctors are hopeful for a complete recovery.

Yehuda is still living with the foster family, but visits his parents twice a week. Each visit ends with heartbreaking tears of the two and a half year old child who doesn’t understand why he can’t stay home with his mommy.

The social workers have concluded that since Yael’s health has improved, if Yaakov and Yael are financially stable enough to buy food for the family and hire a regular babysitter, it is safe for Yehuda to come home. But without any regular income for the past year, the D. family can hardly put bread on the table, never mind pay for a babysitter.

Milka’s Fund is turning to you to help us raise $5,000 to stabilize the family and bring Yehuda home. This amount is enough to provide ample food and household help throughout the summer and the upcoming holidays in the fall, so that little Yehuda can come home and Yaakov can finally return to supporting his family.

With your help, the D. family will be able to put all of the pain and misery behind them, get back on their feet, and finally start living a normal family life.

Each day that goes by is heartbreaking for little Yehuda and his parents. Help us now by donating generously and sharing this story.

Milka’s Fund, is managed and runs under the auspices of Yad Eliezer. This allows for a secure and transparent way to help these needy families.

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