Fund ensures woman gets medication

Friday, January 1, 1904

In 2006, Uiolina Hill learned she was sick -- she has an illness affecting her pancreas.

NEEDIEST CASES FUNDChattanooga's Neediest Cases Fund serves clients of the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults. The fund is administered by the Partnership to fulfill client needs that cannot be met through traditional funding sources. Donations are tax deductible as permitted by law. To donate, a coupon can be found on page . You also can donate online 24/7 at timesfreepress.com/neediestcases.The 2011 Chattanooga Times Free Press Neediest Cases fund drive has raised $11,336 since the campaign launched on Thanksgiving Day.A list of donors will appear in Sunday's Times Free Press. The newspaper will continue to acknowledge donors in the paper and online through the end of the year.

Over the past year, Hill has been in and out of the hospital, said Kendra Brabham, her caseworker at the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults. Hill said that in July she had gallstones removed.

Hill, 52, said she doesn't have health insurance and can't work now because of her illness. She took care of her husband for a year and a half until he died last year.

And because most of her family lives in Nashville, the help from Brabham is all the more necessary.

"She's wonderful. She's very wonderful," Hill said. "I thank her very much."

Brabham goes to the Mary Walker Towers, where Hill lives, four days a week, and Hill started coming to her last year.

Recently, Brabham started the process of trying to help Hill collect disability payments.

And when Hill has needed help paying for her medications, Brabham has helped her receive money from the Times Neediest Cases fund. The last time this occurred was in August, when Hill received $19.70 from the fund.

Brabham said Hill always makes sure that her pharmacy knows Hill is working with Brabham.

"She's a very good person to work with," Brabham said.

The medication, Brabham said, is helping Hill.

"She's getting a little better," Brabham said.

To make sure the Partnership has sufficient money to meet a wide variety of needs, the Times Free Press asks its readers during the holiday season to donate to the Neediest Cases fund. Partnership staff use the money year round to help clients with financial needs that other local support agencies cannot meet. Donations often are as small as $5 and as large as $1,000. All donations are acknowledged in the newspaper.