Mar 3, 2017 4 min read

Life for Ed Swarm has never been easy, but the Washington County Chapter of the national nonprofit Twilight Wish Foundation is doing its part to at least make it a bit more comfortable.

Swarm, 68, of Washington, recently received a reclining lift chair from the organization, giving him more independence and making him less reliant on Peggy, his wife of 47 years.

“I’m a big woman, but he’s 6-3, and lifting him and pulling him up is difficult. This chair is wonderful,” Peggy said earlier this week during a luncheon at Transitions Healthcare in Washington, where the couple received a Twilight Wish certificate.

Twilight Wish is an all-volunteer organization that grants wishes to deserving, economically disadvantaged seniors 68 and over. The foundation also gives preference to people who have had a passion for community service.

“It’s such a wonderful organization,” Cherie Dixon of Canonsburg said. “Nobody knew who we were. Now, people are starting to know who we are.”

For Dixon, it’s the third wish the local chapter has granted since she took over as director six months ago. Even though the local chapter can’t grant “big wishes” yet, Dixon said it can grant quality-of-life wishes, like purchasing hearing aids. Or, in Ed’s case, a lift chair.

Ed has several medical issues, and it’s a struggle for him to get out of a chair. The couple live on a fixed income and cannot afford a lift chair, and Ed’s medical insurance would not cover the cost, either. Twilight Wish was able to purchase the chair from National Wellness Supply in Ambridge at a discounted rate, and Brody’s Furniture in Canonsburg is helping to decorate the couple’s living room.

“I didn’t want her to hurt herself helping me,” he said, looking at his wife.

Ed has a lengthy – and diverse – medical history. Seven years ago, he was scheduled for heart-bypass surgery, but ended up having a double-lung transplant, and later received a pacemaker. Following the tranplant, Ed developed breast cancer, diabetes and pancreatitis.

With his immune system severely compromised, Ed got pneumonia and ended up on life support for six weeks.

Most recently, Ed fractured his hip, which landed him at Transitions Healthcare in Washington for rehabiliation for a month after he was discharged from the hospital. The fracture was caused by the cancer, which had metastisized to his hip and weakened the bone.

“By the time they found it, it was eating away at the bone,” Peggy said. “Now he’s cancer-free.”

Ed said he’s had “his demons” throughout his life, tracing them back to the day his mother died. Ed was 2 months, and he and his siblings were placed in a children’s home. When his father remarried, the kids returned home, where Ed, in particular, had to learn to live with a wicked stepmother.

“You remember ‘Cinderella?'” he said. “That’s how I learned that you have to take what you’re dealt with.”

Then he pointed to his wife and said, “Have you ever met a saint? I’d like to introduce you to one. If I can get her smiling, that makes my day.”

And on this day, he did just that – with a little help from Twilight Wish.

“Organizations like this who help people like us, we really appreciate it,” Ed said. “It makes it easier for me to get out of the chair, and I’m learning to walk again.”

The Washington County Chapter is looking to partner with local health agencies and businesses to help needy seniors in the community. To join the chapter, call Cherie Dixon, chapter director, at 412-915-1815, or search for @TwilightWishWashCo on Facebook.