Dave Henkel

Most of you know that my brother Dave Henkel has been battling a debilitating disease called Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) for the last few years. It is a disease that has made it difficult or impossible to perform many daily tasks, left him unable to do many of the things he enjoys, and made him unable to work. He has been in and out of the hospital countless times, needs to go to Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee twice a week, and just finished his 142nd treatment for CIDP. None of the treatments have been able to cure him and at best, they have merely stopped him from becoming sicker. After many months of tests and evaluations, Dave has been approved for a stem cell transplant at Northwestern University. This is his best hope for a cure.

Through all of this, Dave has never given up. Dave has always been the friend you could call on any time and has always been willing to lend a hand. He is the most loving and caring person I know, and gives the best hugs. Now, he needs our help. This stem cell treatment is a process that will take several months and involve a great deal of travel back and forth from Wisconsin. Recovery will take at least two years, and with Dave’s other medical issues, may take longer.

The therapy is only partially covered by insurance. He needs to make an initial $2,500 deposit in order to schedule the treatment and he’ll have many other out-of-pocket costs, including co-pays, deductibles, medical equipment, and the costly medications he will have to take during and after the procedure. All of this presents a challenge Dave cannot meet without our support.

To help offset these expenses, a fundraising campaign in Dave’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to patients and their families for more than 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible, are held by HelpHOPELive in the North-Central Stem Cell Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. If you would like to make a contribution:

For credit card contributions, please call 800.642.8399 or select the “Donate Now” button on this page OR

Make checks payable to:
HelpHOPELive

Note in memo section:
In honor of Dave O. Henkel

Please send to:
HelpHOPELive
2 Radnor Corporate Center
100 Matsonford Road, Suite 100
Radnor, PA 19087

Thank you in advance for your generosity and support.

Sincerely,

Heather Henkel, Dave’s sister
email: [email protected]