Suffolk mother receives checks for surgery

Published 7:39 pm Saturday, May 6, 2017

A Suffolk wife and mother of four preparing for a major surgery received help for her medical expenses on Friday.

Frances Knaack-Day received $2,500 total from Suffolk Moose Lodge No. 141 and Women of the Moose Lodge Chapter 1315. The money will go towards her $10,000 GoFundMe page goal for her upcoming esophagectomy surgery this May.

“People are pretty incredible,” Knaack-Day said. “It takes a huge stress off of us financially.”

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It will be her second esophagectomy surgery after more than 38 years of hospitalizations and invasive procedures. When she was 18 months old, she accidently swallowed a clinitest tablet that combusted in her throat and caused massive damage to her esophagus.

Lodge administrator Jesse Byrum said he read about her story in the paper and admired her willpower.

“She’s been through all of this since she was 18 months old,” Byrum said. “She’s got to be a special lady. It takes a lot of willpower.”

Knaack-Day will undergo the procedure on May 15 at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina. Four surgeons will perform more than 24 hours of surgery on her. She has been receiving IV nutrients and other medication to prepare for the surgery.

“I’m always tired,” she said.

Byrum said he wants more people to hear her story and support her family.

“Maybe we can try to challenge some of the organizations around here to contribute,” he said.

Knaack-Day said she’s grateful for the meals people have donated for her family, the prayers from near and far, and for the financial assistance.

“I think that the meals that help with our children, the prayers, financial gifts, kind words and cards, all of these acts of kindness really kept me going,” she said. “On those bad days where I wonder if I can make it, I just know that I have this huge group of people praying for me, some of whom I’ve never even met.”

“It’s pretty amazing.”

Visit www.gofundme.com/francesknaack-day to support the Knaack-Day family.