“While his personality is well known, his current status as a man struggling to support his family through medical trial after trial is less known.”

Joe via generosity

A reader and patron of Queen Vic passes on from generosity:

“Meet Joe Schinosi:

I work with Joe Schinosi at a bar in DC called the Queen Vic, and would be willing to bet that everyone who has the opportunity to come in and visit him would agree that he is a man of character. Whether he is arguing politics or the best way to educate the youth, chatting about being in the cutting edge music scene and railroad working in Pittsburgh, or asking about how your family is doing, his passion is tangible.

If inclined and able, you can make your donation here.

While his personality is well known, his current status as a man struggling to support his family through medical trial after trial is less known. In 2011, Joe’s wife was diagnosed with type II diabetes. When the recession claimed her job that same year, the family of five had to rely on COBRA medical insurance and Joe’s hard work to make ends meet and keep her healthy. Their nest egg of savings was eaten up after their COBRA insurance expired, just before their daughter Madeleine (then sophomore in college) got very sick with kidney stones and returned home from school. Thirteen months later, Madeleine was diagnosed with lymphoma.

While Joe has since acquired medical insurance, the bills keep adding up. After years of research and medical consultations, as well as several rounds of chemo and amino therapy for Madeleine, doctors just discovered that the cancer has spread to her bone marrow. Her brother and sister are about to be checked to see which one might be the best match. Even with a successful surgery, though, a full recovery is yet uncertain.

Meanwhile, Joe’s other daughter, Noelle, has some medical issues in her lower abdomen. The surgery she requires is not covered by medical insurance. While Joe works as many nights at the bar as he can, the costs are staggering, and the pressure on him is immense.

This is why friends of Joe are requesting your support. Joe has been looking out for his colleagues, the H Street neighborhood, and each patron who comes up to his bar for years, but that’s barely the tip of the iceberg. Please take a look at the below accounts of a man who has been a friend to those in their times of need.”