Newton Citizen

COVINGTON - Postal workers in Covington are holding a benefit to help raise money for a friend and fellow coworker diagnosed with a rare lung disease.

The employees of the Covington U.S. Postal Service are sponsoring a yard sale benefit at Bethel Grove Baptist Church, which is located at 10728 Flat Shoals Road, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. June 13.

The purpose of the benefit is to help raise money for Tawana Bradley, an employee of the Postal Service and Covington resident, who was diagnosed with sarcoidosis in 2003.

According to Webmd.com, Sarcoidosis is a rare lung disease characterized by abnormal inflammation of immune cells in certain organs in the body. It is most common in the lungs, lymph nodes, liver and eyes. It is known to leave skin lesions or rashes on the body. Doctors are unable to figure out the cause of the disease or how it was contracted, but they do know it's most common in blacks and women between age 20 to 40.

Bradley can be treated with a lung transplant, but her health insurance isn't able to cover everything. In addition, Bradley's conditions worsened in 2008 when she was also diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension, a condition consisting of high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. Without a lung transplant, doctors say the illness with start to affect her heart.

"It was a hard pill to swallow," Bradley said.

The 39-year-old single mother and her friends at the Postal Service are hoping a benefit would raise enough money to cover other expenses such as co-payments, medication and a place to stay when she is discharged from the hospital. Bradley said she not being choosey, whatever people can donate would be greatly appreciated.

Today, Bradley is out of work on disability, praying and fighting for her life.

"I believe being strong and positive is important," especially for her 13-year-old son Jamal," Bradley said. "We always had a close relationship."

Donations for Bradley also can be made at any Wachovia Bank location.