IWA For June 18th, 2006

Hey folks,

It’s Sunday, time for the IWA.

This week the IWA goes to a person that is the reason some are hesitant to give to charities, trust fund-raisers, and in general, dis-like people asking them for money. This person’s greed has an effect on those with real needs. I’m GLAD she is going to jail for the next two years. Not only is what she did illegal, but just plain wrong as well.

The IWA goes to, Heather Faria, 27, of Bristol county Massachusetts. Ms. Faria was working as a high school special education teacher, when she told friends, family and colleagues that she could not afford cancer treatment and still have money left over for food.

She say that the treatments were so expensive, she was barely able to survive daily living. This is not hard for anyone to believe and accept for fact. Everyone knows that if you have something wrong with you, be it cancer, or anything that causes you to end up seeking medical treatment, you run into high costs. Like $40.00 for an aspirin, etc.

Well her friends, family, and colleagues DID believe it. They went all out, even held a fund-raiser for her medical treatments. Picture this folks, you’ve seen the jars in the stores, fliers, bake sales, the Fireman Boot, etc. It is always around, because there is ALWAYS someone in need.

The problem in the case of Ms. Faria, is that it is not true. Her friends, family and colleagues raised $37,000 in donations, which she promptly spent on a vacation, a wide-screen television and jewelry, according to the Bristol District Attorney's office.

The New Bedford Superior Court found her guilty in April. She will be spending the next two years in jail. They also sentenced her to eight years of probation after she pleaded guilty to five counts of larceny and one count of gross fraud. According to Lisa Leonard, spokeswoman for Bristol District Attorney Paul Walsh.

I have no idea why Ms. Faria would think for a second that she could get away with this. If you DID have cancer Ms. Faria , and raised money for treatment, you would need a place to be treated. Well, she was exposed after the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, where she said she was receiving treatment, said Faria was not a patient.

Congratulations Ms. Faria, you are getting what you deserve, and you ARE the Idiot of the Week.
Peter