DELHI TOWNSHIP — Some helping hands in Indian Hill have reached across town to Delhi Township to help the May family.

        Helping Hands is a group in Indian Hill who are friends of Frank and Peggy May, who live on Happy Drive, Delhi Township. The group is conducting a fund drive to raise $45,000 to buy a minivan for the Mays' 9-year-daughter, Megan, who suffers from spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

A fund-drive for 9-year-old Megan May hopes to raise $45,000 to buy a minivan to help transport the cerebral palsy victim who lives in Delhi Township. (Dick Swaim photo) | ZOOM |

        “We started talking about this last Thanksgiving at my house when we realized how blessed we were and how precious our friendship was with Frank and Peggy,” said Toni Bolser of Indian Hill, an organizer of the group. “I think I received about 20 calls the next day to get the drive started.”

        Mr. May and Mrs. Bolser's husband, Tom, met at the Norwood Educational Opportunity Center. They became close friends.

        The May family had a series of tragedies that started in 1984 shortly after Frank and Peggy, both school teachers, were married.

        Mrs. May began having pains in the back and neck and gradually lost strength in both hands.

        In the summer of 1984, doctors discovered three tumors in her spinal cord. After surgery, Mrs. May had to learn to walk again.

        “I had lost feeling in my legs, but I had regained the feeling in my hands,” she said. “... I went back to teaching in the fall of 1984.”

        Tragedy struck again. In 1987, doctors discovered that Mrs. May's entire spinal cord had expanded with trapped spinal fluids — and they found a tumor in her brain stem. That meant more surgery and the loss of use of her legs, again. She had to learn to walk. This time, recovery took a year.

        They conferred with doctors, and decided to try to have a child, Mrs. May said.

        On Dec. 4, 1991, Mrs. May gave birth to twin girls, 14 weeks' premature. One twin, Maria, died a week later. Megan survived.

        Three years later, Mrs. May gave birth to a healthy boy, Michael, now 6.

        Tragedy didn't go away. Last spring, Mrs. May had to have four more tumors removed from her spinal cord.

        The 44-year-old elementary school teacher suffers from paralysis in her hands but is able to look after her daughter, Megan, full time.

        “Through all this, I think the most incredible gift we have received is just learning how wonderful and caring other people can be,” she said. “This generous effort by our friends and those who heard our story is an utter blessing to us.”

        Another organizer, Leigh Anne Meurer of Indian Hill, said contributions may be made at any Fifth Third Bank, c/o of Helping Hands Organization.
       

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