Member of the Week: David Broadwell

Public Servant for 8 years. All in the Washington DC area.

• U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission
• Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
• U.S. Geological Survey – Dept. of Interior

2. Can you briefly share your life circumstances over the past year?

The triplets were eight months old when Antonia was diagnosed with cancer – a rare type of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (only 40 people world wide known to have had it). We were still paying for medical bills from the triplets birth (i.e. NIC-U hospital, perinatologist, etc.) when Antonia’s cancer treatments began. When it came to paying for a PET Scan vs. paying the mortgage. The PET Scan won. I ended up loosing my car and was fortunate enough to be able to borrow a neighbors car to go back and forth to work. We had to file for bankruptcy because of the mounting medical bills. And we loosing our home to foreclosure.

3. Antonia is from Slovakia, right? How did you two meet?

I met Antonia in Canada through a friend who was working there at the time. Two years later we were married and 1 year after that – Triplets.

4. What did you think when you found out you were having triplets?

To be honest, we were not happy. It was not a jump up and down for joy moment. We were stunned and at first did not believe it. We kept asking the doctor if he was sure. We drove home in silence. We were literally in shock and disbelief and wondering how were we going to do it. When we pulled in the driveway and shut off the car, Antonia looked at me and said, “Well, God gave us this backpack, now we have to carry it”. We never looked back since. We have been blessed.

5. What was your reaction when you learned about Antonia’s cancer diagnosis and what is the prognosis?

Same answer as number 4. LITERALLY! It was the very same reaction to the news and Antonia’s response was the same as well. Prognosis: getting mixed reviews from the doctors and specialists. There is activity now (SUV uptake) in her lymph nodes throughout her chest, waiting for next PET Scan and biopsy’s.

6. I know that the medical bills must be piling up. How have you been handling those expenses?

Spent our entire life savings, pulled money from my retirement, repossessed car, home foreclosure, and filed for bankruptcy.

7. You are trying to build a home in Slovakia. Can you explain a bit more about the reasons for moving there and the costs associated with it?

The answer is best described in my letter on our site.

8. Is there anything else that you’d like the GovLoop community to know? Are there other ways that we can help?

What you (GovLoop) are doing now is the best way to help. Some people have offered to come and help with the kids, but that is more of a hindrance then a help because it is not practical. It I hard to explain, but it is more then just playing with or babysitting the kids. Triplets are a handful and the best thing, we found out, is consistency, consistency, consistency, AND a calm house – not having a lot of different people coming in and out.