As we enter another holiday season filled with gratitude, reflection and togetherness, it is more important than ever to all of us at the Illinois Bar Foundation to thank the likeminded attorneys across the state of Illinois that believe in and support our mission to aid lawyers in crisis and our neighbors seeking legal aid.
As most of us can attest, no attorney ever anticipates needing to turn to their colleagues for the type of support offered by our Warren Lupel Lawyers Care Fund. Whether you entered law school dreaming of the challenges of a courtroom trial, making a difference for those in vulnerable communities, or advocating for your clients and helping them achieve their goals in a fair and equitable society, there is often no way to prepare for the realities of some setbacks out of our control.
Bradley, one of our Lawyers Care Fund recipients, came to us for assistance during a harrowing year of medical complications following his cancer diagnosis. A young lawyer from southern Illinois, Bradley could not have anticipated that his emerging career as a social security disability attorney would be sidelined by the one-two punch of the COVID-19 pandemic and a diagnosis of abdominal wall cancer in 2021. Bradley’s path to recovery was anything but straightforward, with a number of surgeries, infections and long hospital stays limiting his progress over the next two years. Bradley found the IBF Warren Lupel Lawyers Care Fund in 2023, and through the generosity of our donors, we were able to provide him with monthly support to help offset the costs of his ongoing medical care and living expenses as he transitioned back to work. Thankfully, Bradley is now cancer-free and has healed from the complications of his diagnosis, enabling him to get back to living his life fully, enjoying time with his family, and returning to work to fight for his clients to receive the benefits they deserve. Bradley graciously shared his story and this update to help us ensure that all attorneys in need know that we are here to help:
Since the summer of 2023, I’ve received good health news, but it was a long hard road to get through, and the Illinois Bar Foundation Lawyers Care Fund really helped me with that process. With all the care and help from everyone, it really helped me out of the hole that I had fallen into mentally. I would
personally like to say thank you. This fund has made a significant difference in my life, helping navigate such a stressful time with a little bit of relief from the financial stress associated with my medical care. You have made a difference in my life. –Bradley B.
As any of our Lawyers Care Fund Committee members will attest, our work providing aid to our colleagues and their families during the most difficult time of their lives is all at once heartbreakingly difficult, deeply rewarding, and incredibly important to those we are able to assist. If you share in the IBF’s vision to be a statewide lifeline for our colleagues struggling with day-to-day care and essentials, we hope you will consider making a donation to the Illinois Bar Foundation this holiday season.
On behalf of the IBF, Bradley and his family, and all the other individuals and families we assist, thank you, and happy holidays!
John Nisivaco, President
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