A LAKER IN NEED

Courtesy Photo / grandvalleyrowing.com
Junior Jacob Bouwman (right) rows in a pair

Courtesy photo

Courtesy Photo / grandvalleyrowing.com Junior Jacob Bouwman (right) rows in a pair

Anya Zentmeyer

Finals week is overwhelming for most Grand Valley State University students, but for junior Jacob Bouwman, this weeks trials are much greater than research papers or final exams.

Last Monday, Bouwman was diagnosed with cancer. Three days later, he underwent surgery to remove the cancer. Due to the aggressive nature of his diagnosis, doctors urged Bouwman to follow through with a second surgery to remove his lymph nodes, which Bouwman will undergo today in Ann Arbor.

Bouwman has no health insurance, and with an avalanche of hospital bills on the horizon, GVSU professor Kirsten Bartels snapped into action upon hearing the news.

“Well we need to mobilize, something needs to be done for this kid,” she said, and set out creating a Facebook page for Bouwman as well as a whole host of ways to make it easy for people to donate to his cause.

Bouwman is a member of GVSU’s Rowing Club as well as the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, and Bartels contacted the groups for help immediately.

“We just started having conversations with the rowers and with members of different frats, with basically all the Grand Valley community to try to get something done, and the community has really, really embraced helping him,” Bartels said.

The Facebook page links users to online donation web site www.giveforward.com, where those who want to donate can do so.

Within 48 hours of creation of the Facebook page “JakeStrong – the fundraiser for Jake,” there were more than 800 members. Within 36 hours of the creation of the online donation page, there was almost $500 in donations, and now the total rests closer to $700.

On the JakeStrong Facebook page, Bouwman wrote to his supporters, “Please just keep me in your prayers and hopefully we I can pull through and take care of all this while I am young and healthy. Thank you all for the support it truly means a lot knowing that so many people are standing behind me through this.”

Bartels is still in the process of setting up a bank account for Bouwman, but students can also choose to donate to the JakeStrong cause during finals week through the University Book Store, which will be selling JakeStrong wristbands, T-shirts and buttons.

During book buyback, if students want to donate books that UBS will not buy back, or just donate to the cause in general, UBS will accept those books and members of the JakeStrong cause will sell those book backs through other channels for profit. Books can also be donated during book buyback at Kleiner Commons, and all proceeds will go toward the JakeStrong fundraiser. “I sat down and did a little math, and if everyone here could just raise 50 bucks for him, that’s $27,000,” Bartels said. “So every little bit helps — the $5 donations, the $10 donations, those are incredible. We don’t want anyone to think even a dollar (or) two is not enough — every little bit helps.”

Ideally, Bartels said she would like to not only cover Bouwman’s medical costs, but set up a legacy fund for future Lakers in need.

“Jake can’t be the only person this is going to happen to and he’s been really fortunate to have people rally around him and support him,” she said. “But I’d really like to set up an endowed fund so that we can have some way to support Grand Valley students in the future.”

With a target goal of $20,000, there is still a long way to go for the JakeStrong effort, but Bartels said she believes GVSU has what it takes to make their goal a reality.

“He’s realizing that in less than 48 hours, 800 people got together on this group to show support,” Bartels said. “For him, it’s very humbling, but it’s also just really, really amazing for a spirit to know that so many people care.”

For more information about the JakeStrong cause, or to donate online, visit www.facebook.com/groups/JakeStrong/.

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