Christa Todd's Mayo Clinic Fund

This is my dear friend Christa Todd. From the time we first met 15 years ago while taking a photography class together in college till now, she has been a constant presence and support in my life, and shown me what it means to be a true friend. And in this time, she has also given me the privilege of entering her life and sharing with me the many struggles she has faced over the years, including many years before I knew her. I've been with her during various ups and downs, twists and turns, periods of great excitement, and times of sadness and frustration. These are characteristics of all of our lives, but for my friend Christa, it seems that life has hit her harder and presented her with more challenges than most of us ever have to face, and that would leave many of us stopped in our tracks, and in despair. 
     But what makes my friend Christa so exceptional is that through everything she has been through and continues to struggle with, she remains one of the most genuine, compassionate, selfless, loving people I know. No matter what is going on in her life, she still finds time to help others - to provide support to her family and friends, to love and work with children with various needs as a pediatric physical therapist, to give even when she has little, and to smile at and ask strangers how they are wherever she finds herself. Her unswerving Faith, in spite of all of the hardships she has faced, is inspiring. 
     Christa is always giving of herself, and now I want to give back to her and to support her when she needs it most. For many years, Christa has been dealing with various medical issues, gone to numerous doctors, been through hundreds of tests, and is still working with her doctors to put all the pieces together to find a diagnosis. Her doctors have advised her to go to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for a week of testing, and to work with some of the country's best neurological specialists to determine what the underlying health issues are so that she can finally receive the exact medical treatment she needs to essentially give her her life back. The trip is planned for July 9-19, 2017.
     This medical trip is what Christa has needed for years, and her doctors are finally getting her access. But this medical trip is going to be extremely expensive. These tests will quickly add up to thousands of dollars, and this does not include the cost of airfare, place to stay, and food while there.
     Currently, because of her medical conditions and suffering/recovering from a concussion at her last job,  Christa is physically limited in how much she can work and is struggling to find good insurance coverage. She is in great need of financial support to make this trip possible. Please consider helping me support this incredibly strong young woman get to the Mayo Clinic so that she can get the help she needs to improve her health - not only so that her life can be better, but so that she can have a better ability to keep pursuing her dream to help others as a physical therapist, and as someone who hopes to help children through missions abroad.

Thank you!!
~Laurie

To find out more about the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/.