Dawn’s Road to Better Days

Hello, my name is Donna Bucklew and I have started this fundraiser for my sister Dawn, in hopes to help her with a down payment on a reliable vehicle.

My sister Dawn, has extensive medical/neurological issues that she has struggled with for many years. She has had back issues since high school and she eventually had a spinal fusion in her early 30’s (21 years ago). The last 4 years have been some of the most challenging for her and have required her to have many doctors appointments, numerous MRI’s, additional testing, specialists, physical therapies, epidural injections, as well as a nerve study. Recently, her neurologist and her neuromuscular specialist have suggested that she go to the U of M or to the Cleveland Clinic for some additional medical guidance/opinions for her “unique case”. Since it is closer, she decided that U of M would be the best choice for her right now. Her and her care team here in Ohio are looking forward to getting some additional input and opinions from U of M in hopes of a future treatment plan that will help give her hope for a better quality of life.

Dawn doesn’t talk too much about her struggles and daily limitations. Sometimes she has days when it is hard for her to just get around, she doesn’t get out much on those days. She has some very good days, which are her happiest days. Her limitations can cause her to feel depressed and frustrated and it affects her mental health, which is why it is so important for her to have some hope for a change in her future.

With all of this being said, Dawn has been having car problems for quite some time now. She had her car scanned numerous times at Auto Zone, and she also had some family members and several friends help her troubleshoot and make some repairs to her vehicle. She spent a lot of money on new tires and parts which did not fix all of the issues that she was having. After finally taking it to the dealership for an in-depth diagnostic test, that costed almost $200, the outcome was that the car was unsafe to drive and not worth fixing.

She has been without a car for several weeks now, and has been getting rides to her current doctor’s appointments, in addition to all of the other errands that she has to do. This is definitely the worst time for her to be without reliable transportation. She is currently on a fixed income and it would be very difficult at this time for her to come up with a down payment for a reliable vehicle. Her first appointment at U of M is coming up in May and we are hoping that this appointment will give her some answers.

She is not one to ask for help unless she is absolutely desperate, but she is the type of person that would go out of her way to help someone before they even have to ask.

Anyone who knows Dawn, knows that she loves going out on her “adventures”. It truly is therapeutic for her and is the heart and soul of her photography. She takes all of us on those adventures with her, as she shares them with us through her own eyes. She often speaks about how her artistic expression makes her feel like she has a purpose in this world. We have all watched her grow as an artist and she so appreciates the support that we have all given to her. She expresses life, good and bad, through her art. We all know that Dawn also loves her community. She often shares her love for the parks with us, as well as supporting other local artists, musicians, events, and businesses. She truly enjoys supporting others and sharing these experiences with us.

We are hoping that her community can come together and help us help her with the financial assistance that she needs at this time.

Your donation will help her with getting the reliable transportation that she needs to get her numerous appointments and to help get her back on her journey—-and back to those adventures that she so loves. I know that this will change her life. She expresses her feelings often and says that she doesn’t like asking for help and that she feels like a burden. The stress of her struggles over the years has definitely affected her mental health, but she always tries to find the light at the end of the tunnel. We want Dawn to feel happy and independent again, and with your help and support we are hoping to do just that.

Once she gets back on her feet, we will all get to accompany her on her adventures once again, through her photographs, which come from her heart and soul.

My family and I would be so grateful for any support that you can offer in helping her at this time. If you are not able to help financially, sharing this would be very helpful. Thank you so very much for helping my sister! Our entire family appreciates all of you!