Care for Karen

Please help Karen return home and receive the care she needs through the holidays!

My name is Emma Sueiro, and I am one of Karen Foxgrover’s caregivers. During the last two years, I have had the great privilege of coming to know and love Karen, as so many others have. For those of you who do not know Karen: she is 64 years young and lives with spinal muscular atrophy type III. Over her lifetime, Karen’s muscles have become weaker and weaker - leaving only her pointer finger mobile enough to control the joystick on her motorized chair. After battling pneumonia last spring, her struggle to live independently has continued. Only this time, she is fighting against a system that does not provide enough care for her to maintain her autonomy and livelihood.

For the past two weeks, Karen has been staying at a local hospital because she does not have enough assistance to help her live at home. Due to the caretaker shortage in Madison and beyond, local agencies are not equipped with any caretakers to support her through government funding. Her only options are residential facilities or privately funded at-home care. As everyone can hopefully understand, Karen wishes to remain at home, where she can be surrounded by friends, family, and her cat Phoebe while resuming her vibrant life in downtown Madison. I am creating this fund with the hope that your donations can cover the expenses of at-home care for Karen for as long as possible. Funds will go directly towards paying her personal caretakers over the holidays and thereafter.

If Karen has impressed her spirit on you or anyone you know, or if you can sympathize with her fight for independence, please consider donating to this effort.