父亲痛失爱子，创办慈善机构接送儿童接受化疗
理查德·纳雷斯站在他基金会用来接送儿童往返化疗诊所的众多厢式货车之一前。Facebook，埃米利奥·纳雷斯基金会
1998年，理查德·纳雷斯的儿子埃米利奥被诊断出患有白血病，两年后不幸离世，这让理查德·纳雷斯经历了所有父母最恐惧的噩梦。但他却将悲痛化作善举，帮助数百个家庭应对儿童疾病带来的种种挑战，为他们提供交通援助。儿子去世后，他回到圣地亚哥的雷迪儿童医院，询问工作人员自己能如何帮助他人。他们的回答是：交通。被诊断患有癌症的儿童及其家人必须长途跋涉，频繁往返医院接受治疗，例如化疗。理查德遇到的一个家庭住在距离医院120英里（约193公里）的地方。另一个家庭每周要去医院六次，但他们没有车。
对于一些儿童来说，腐蚀性化疗会使他们的免疫系统非常虚弱，以至于他们无法乘坐充满细菌的公共交通工具。
许多父母没有自由请无薪假照顾孩子。一些单亲家庭被迫在让生病的孩子独自乘车去接受化疗和让其他兄弟姐妹无人照看之间做出选择。
他发现很多孩子往返医院要坐 4 个多小时的公交车，更糟糕的是，他们甚至完全放弃了重要的治疗。
尽管理查德和埃米利奥在埃米利奥患病期间得到了家人的接送和支持，但理查德看到癌症对许多低收入家庭来说是多么艰难，于是决定做些什么。
“这非常艰难，不仅是情感上，现在经济上也面临巨大压力，”他说。“有时候，父母双方都不得不辞职或大幅削减开支。有些人……甚至连10美元都拿不出来买食堂的饭菜。”
起初，他开着别克车在附近转悠，接送病人家属往返医院，但很快就收到了更多请求。在护士和社会工作者的帮助下，他成立了埃米利奥·纳雷斯基金会，将他的善举发展成一项正式项目，名为“与埃米利奥同行”。
如今，埃米利奥·纳雷斯基金会每年为2500名儿童及其家庭提供前往南加州多家医院的免费乘车服务。该基金会还为家庭提供支持，包括双语患者权益倡导，甚至提供丧亲和丧葬方面的支持。
“与埃米利奥同行”项目已被美国卫生局局长和奥巴马总统誉为典范案例。最近，理查德还被提名为CNN“英雄”系列节目的主角。
目前，理查德正在从旧金山的金门大桥跑到圣地亚哥的雷迪儿童医院，为他的基金会筹款。
虽然理查德堪称英雄，但他的工作也让他受益匪浅。帮助他人让他与儿子的关系更加亲密。
“他真是个了不起的人，”纳雷斯说。“虽然他已经去世快13年了，但感觉他还在我身边。就像他还在我的肩膀上，或者像以前那样揪我的耳朵一样。”
访问埃米利奥·纳雷斯基金会网站，了解更多关于他的工作。
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I have been so inspired by your postings. It warms my heart to read about people who are in need and suffering, who have been helped by the people who sent in a message about what they were doing to help the people who were suffering. I congratulate those people who understand what it is like to be struggling to adapt to everyday life. We should all be thankful to the people who sent in stories about struggles of many people who are dealing with heavy problems. I have been so encouraged to always try to see the positive side of life and know that we are not alone! With great appreciation for your emails, Amy Quinney
: )
Mr. Nares is definitely a hero. Kudos, Mr. Nares, for all you do.
What a meaningful way to turn pain and grief into service for others. Pain and loss can instruct us how to live if we listen. Richard is an inspirational example of how to find purpose and fill a need.
Now expand this..in a for profit focus we lose the best part of who we are as human beings, Transportation should be in a healing "package" but it is not the responsibility of a medical system that is there to profit- aka lose responsibility, turns doctors into cogs etc. At the same time we are taught to buy crap we don't use, that falls apart, that is outdated asap. All in all we have been tricked into many false beliefs, beliefs that protect the pattern that is under the systems we started before we knew-diddly! This in order to maintain lifestyles that smash our immune systems which opens pathways for dis-ease. Until we recognize the monster, face it and change our patterns we will spiral down until ...ugly isions --yup like most futurama flicks. If we change to focus on our part on a living planet aka in the larger whole , realize we are ecosystemic life forms, and that we can consciously choose new choices that will actualize an entirely new cultural construct one that aligns with super reality- .then we will heal. I appreciate stories about love but love with intelligence and courage to face the bigger facts..that is leap worthy. (Quantum Physics, Environmental Science and Consciousness..all bestter in application :-)
[Hide Full Comment]Beautiful & concrete example of how our own pain may heal through serving others. Bravo to Richard Nares. May Emilio continue to live on through your kindness.