“Let me tell you about an amazing family who is going through a rough time and needs help…
Phylis and Fred Cobb, from Centerpoint, AL, have a beautiful family who they have discipled in the faith. They are now seeing the fruits of their labor as their 6 adult children are serving and leading in the church.
This past fall, Phylis Cobb was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma Bone Cancer. Phylis has insurance…praise God. However, the Stem Cell Transplant that she is currently undergoing will cost $14,000 out of pocket not including the one or more month stay in Atlanta hotels so doctors can closely monitor her response to the treatment.
Currently, Phylis is in Atlanta at Emory University Hospital having the Stem Cell Transplant (Jan 22-Feb 2). This is a two week stay in the hospital where they kill Phylis’ sick cells with chemo and replace them with the cells that were extracted from her marrow and regenerated. Then they will stay for two additional weeks in Atlanta for her to be monitored by her doctor.
We are asking the Grace Klein Community to give what they can to help Phylis.
Get to know Phylis (and Fred)
Phylis has always been the strong and steady one according to her husband Fred. If you know them, you know Fred is the bold extrovert and Phylis is his opposite with a soft meek spirit. They, together, model the fruits of a faithful Christian marriage to their family, friends, and every stranger they meet.
Phylis has always had Fred’s heart. The day Fred saw Phylis on the baseball field at 14 years of age, he knew he wanted to marry her. Through break ups and make ups he made her his wife 9 years later when they were both 23. She was always the one with consistent faith and great patience with him. During their first 5 years of marriage he had a side hustle that lead to a life of drugs and alcohol.
One day God woke Fred up and he confessed all to his young wife. She forgave him and that day both their lives were radically changed. God has been the Lord of their family since. God gave them a new vision for their family. And, quickly their family grew…one, two, three, four children and then a set of twins. Yes, six children!
They dedicated their family to the Lord and influenced them towards God. Times got hard for 7 years when Fred was on dialysis and later underwent a kidney transplant. Phyllis was by his side doctoring him, caring for the family, and working to provide insurance for Fred.
We met Phylis and Fred five years ago at the first Worship Night sponsored by Grace Klein Community where their family lead worship. We saw Fred, Phylis and his family lead on the ministry team at Solid Rock Church. And, we saw Fred help start the monitoring program in Birmingham City Schools and later would become a Chaplin for Birmingham City Police.
They became involved in Grace Klein Food Delivery soon after Fred’s kidney transplant. They said the food box and the encouraging visits came at their time of need every month. They take the food and share it with neighbors.
Our family always makes Fred and Phylis house our first stop each month, because it is like going to a prayer meeting before we go visit our other families. The living water flowing from their family is always refreshing. They are a blessing to everyone!
Prayers for Phylis
- Pray for Phylis’ body to go through the process well. Pray the cancer cell will be destroyed, the good stem cells will take over her body and she will be given new life on the cellular level.
- Pray that they use every opportunity to share God’s love and salvation. They are witnesses of God’s faithfulness to them and their family even amongst the struggles and hardships they have endured. (Fred’s request)
- Pray that the financial hardships will not keep them from getting the help that Phylis needs.
- Pray for the kids as they are working in Birmingham and separated from their parents at this time.
- Pray God will provide just what Phylis and Fred need as they have need.
Support for Phylis
Shane and I would like to ask our Grace Klein family and others as lead to help Fred and Phylis financially as you feel led during this challenging time. The out of pocket medical bills are $14,000 that they cover of the Stem Cell Transplant plus the additional expense of traveling and staying in Atlanta which is about $2000. We would like to raise at least $14,000 so that this will not be a hardship on Fred or the family and they can focus on Phylis and their jobs. When making a donation, please write a check to Grace Klein Community (1678 Montgomery Hwy #104, Birmingham, AL 35216) and include in the memo: “Phylis Cobb” or give online at gracekleincommunity.com/donate and select other and write “Phylis Cobb” in memo. Grace Klein Community is a 501(c)3 non-profit so all your giving will be tax-deductible. All funds will be paid directly to the third party vendors i.e. hospital, rehab etc.
Also, because this is part of the Grace Klein Give Back Program and every $10 raised must be matched with one service hour, we are asking for people to donate their volunteer hours to Phylis. So if you want to donate your volunteer hours please share in the comment the number of hours and the service. Due to the nature of the situation, we can include our Grace Klein Service hours from the past year! We need 1,400 hours.
We are praying believing God will provide for this need.”
Mitzi and Shane Eaker