Dear Friends in Cyberspace:

I can't believe I'm actually doing this, but I'm here to ask you for help.

As most of you who know me know, I have been suffering from crohn's disease for 30 years. It has robbed me of the best years of my life. It has lead me from a good, solid middle class existence to one of living at or below the poverty line.

I have had to deal with the myriad of symptoms of crohn's disease, things such as constant low grade fever, bleeding, cramps, joint pain, anemia, near constant fatigue, to name but a few.In 2010 I underwent surgery to completely remove my bowel because it had become so infected and inflamed and abscessed that it was useless in working anymore.

While the surgery was a success and went a long way to relieve some symptoms ( I know longer have the fevers or bleeding or cramps anymore) I still suffer from the anemia and fatigue and the joint pain has only gotten worse.

All this is to say that up until now I have been able to at least keep a roof over my head. I have been a supply teacher in the Durham District School Board for almost 15 years ( before and after my surgery). I have tried a few long term contracts with the board but find it hard to cope with the rigours of teaching ( lesson planning, marking, rehearsals etc, ) and have come to realize that my niche is being an occasional teacher.

Now for some reason the Board in which I work has changed to parameters of who gets called to fill in for a full time teacher this year 2018-2019 and saw fit to hire upwards of 800 new occasional teachers. This now means that I don't get anywhere near the callouts that I used to get in past years. Which means that I am slowly going broke. I spent all my savings and RRSPs years ago buying medication and supplementing my income and returning to University to get certified to teach.

So now I am literally running out of money and time. I was able to pay my rent for April and bills for March but I won't have enough money to pay the rent on time for May and my bills.

I will tell you without word of a lie that if I get evicted and have to live in my car or on the street, I won't last 3 months. I need a roof over my head and my medication and medical supplies. If not, my immune system won't be able to cope and that will be that.

So I am asking you to donate to a GO FUND ME page to help me out. What ever you can spare will be greatly appreciated. Instead of one Starbucks latte, if you could do without that and donate it, that would be awesome.

I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think it was becoming desperate. I hate imposing on people, but I don't know what else to do.

If you can help me out in this next 30 days, please go to my GO FUND ME page and donate and spread this message as far and wide as possible.

Thank you to you all.

Gil Ostler