A GoFundMe has been launched to help the owners of a local bakery as they cool their ovens for an extended period to focus on cancer treatment.
Organizer Trisha McKever said John and Nicole Moore own Junior Baker, a gluten free bakery in downtown Sarnia.
She said she's been a customer for years and when she heard the couple's bakery may be closed for the next year she knew she wanted to help them.
"Unfortunately, John, the head baker, has over the past few years suffered some unlucky health issues," said McKever. "He's actually had two strokes and he keeps working. But, they did have to close the bakery in April so John could have heart surgery to repair a large hole in his heart."
McKever said they were going to close the bakery for six weeks as John recovered, but it looks like more time is needed.
"Unfortunately during that time, they also investigated some spots on his head that turned out to be Stage 3 cancer. Now this means probably a year of treatment for John and without their head baker, their only baker, that means no income for John or Nicole," she said.
McKever said the Moore's were very hesitant when she approached them about launching a fundraiser.
"They are so kind, they feel there are other people in the community who deserve the support of our community more than themselves. It took some convincing, but when they realized that over the next year they may not be able to have an income source, they were open to the idea," McKever added.
The Moore's have two children, Johnny, 20, and Krysten, 25, who is medically fragile and suffers from Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a severe condition characterized by repeated seizures that begin early in life.
"As entrepreneurs, not only do they have to support their family, but they now also have to pay the rent and utilities at the business to make sure they have a job to go back to when John has recovered," McKever said.
"I really just thought this was an opportunity to take a little bit of stress off of their plates, just to alleviate some of that financial worry, so they could really focus on John and his recovery, because I know that over the past 12 years, they've helped me alleviate my stress of feeding my children."
McKever said the Moore's raise funds each year to help families in Sarnia travel to London for Epilepsy treatment and use their social media platforms to support other charities and small businesses.
She said since launching the crowdfunding last Friday, close to $20,000 has been raised.
"I am blown away by the support and love in this community for them, but I'm not surprised," said McKever. "They do not realize the impact that they have on people that they encounter everyday. So, I am in no way surprised by the generosity and support."
The GoFundMe for John and Nicole Moore can be found here.