TYLER, Texas — A Christian radio station is blessing families all over East Texas this holiday season.
KVNE is helping local families through their new Christmas Encouragement program which helps anyone who is experiencing a difficult moment in their lives.
One of the families the program has helped is a Mineola family, the Gilleans. Chelsea Gilleans' husband, David Gillean has been battling cancer since late September, but thanks to the efforts of KVNE and its listeners, their holiday burden will be a little lighter.
"It has meant everything. I mean, we wouldn’t be where we are right now if it weren’t for all these people who have surrounded us, loved us, helped us, and even just prayed for us. Because that has been when they said it spread to his lymph nodes, I think my heart stopped for a minute," Chelsea said.
KVNE Vice President of Marketing Jennifer Bailey said this program wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for donors and nominations from the community.
"We (have) donors that gave specifically to this effort and wanted to bless others in our community with any tangible needs that they might have," Bailey said. "So we put together a nomination form online, and we asked people to go on and nominate people that were really facing monumental hardships."
Earlier this week, a family friend nominated the Gilleans and since then, the support has come flooding in.
The program is something that the people at KVNE are all extremely proud of because they really relish the opportunity to give back during the holiday season.
"To be a part of this, to read the need that’s going on, whatever we think we’re facing in the world when we hear some of these stories and what people are facing that are often young families, that they’re going through really difficult times," Bailey said.
David’s grueling battle with cancer has cast a dark cloud over his family’s holiday season, but thanks to the generosity of East Texans, it’s sure to be a Christmas that they will never, ever forget.
"We have avoided doing anything and going anywhere because it’s just been almost impossible. And so, getting this call yesterday was amazing because they get their stockings filled, and that’s all we really want," Gillean said.