Ventura Servin

Ventura was a glass installer in the commercial division of B&T Glass and Mirror in San Antonio where he had been employed since 2004. He installed storefront glass, interior glass partitions, glass curtain walls and more. In mid-2020, he was promoted to shop operations manager. The sciatic pain he had been experiencing became much worse in October 2020, so he went for an MRI.

Six rounds of chemo followed the diagnosis, along with surgery to amputate his left leg at the hip. All told, he was in the hospital for six weeks. After surgery, the diagnosis was revised to lymphoma, for which Ventura is still receiving chemotherapy. The financial trauma for Ventura’s family was nearly as bad as the medical trauma. His income stopped completely in October 2020 and was replaced by a check from Social Security disability, which is only about 25% of what he was earning previously. His company continues to pay his medical insurance premiums and is working with him so he can return to work in some modified way. Meanwhile he lives in a two-story home where all the bedrooms are on the second floor. His family had to construct a makeshift bedroom out of the living room for Ventura, because he had no way of getting upstairs. While in rehab, he learned of our foundation and applied for a grant for a stair lift. “That would allow me to visit with my children in their rooms and once again sleep in my own bed,” Ventura told us. “It will also allow me some sense of normalcy again.” The application was more complicated because of the 90° turn of the stairway after the landing.

Ventura told us he is hopeful that he will go into remission after clinical trials or a bone marrow transplant. He also looks forward to getting back to work in some meaningful capacity. “Right now, I just want to get upstairs and enjoy my whole home. Thanks to your foundation, I can do that.”