Help Jo Anne Ghormley get the treatment she needs

When I first met Jo I was immediately drawn to her authenticity, her generous spirit, and her fantastically dry sense of humor. I liked her potty mouth, too. We met years ago in a Moms' group and like many of us, (most of us? ok, all of us) Jo was tired. Really tired. Very tired. Exceptionally tired. We all frequently chatted about ways to streamline The Business of Motherhood, how to balance its enumerable demands with our careers and relationships, supporting each other as best we could. But Jo's exhaustion just seemed more intense, more relentless than what the rest of us were dealing with. It wasn't just part of the mothering experience for Jo. For Jo, the need for sleep constantly threatened to consume her. Jo began prioritizing 'must do' over 'want to do', taking rest wherever she could find it, surviving as best she could. But no matter what changes she made, she continued to be plagued by a heavy, bone-deep weariness.

After visits to specialists, blood tests and sleep studies, Jo was finally diagnosed with Idiopathic Hypersomnia, a rare and little-understood sleep disorder. The interventions prescribed by her medical team have provided very little relief. IH patients are often forced to quit their jobs or drop out of school. Some IH patients can't drive long distances. Some can't safely drive at all. IH often leads to withdrawal, isolation and depression. As a full-time therapist, wife, and mom to two bright and curious little boys, Jo needs to find a safe, effective IH treatment... like, NOW.

The sleep center at Emory University in Atlanta is an internationally renowned institution conducting cutting-edge research and offering innovative care to patients who've failed to find meaningful treatment elsewhere. Jo has the opportunity to see Emory's elite neurology team in September. Insurance will likely not cover the cost of the testing, treatment, or medication. At best, the expenses will be out-of-network. In addition to the out-of-pocket medical costs, Jo will also incur travel expenses, lost wages, childcare costs, meals, and more. As it would be for any of us, this endeavor presents a substantial financial hardship.

But we can help. Jo is smart, witty, thoughtful, candid, and a really rock-solid friend. I am so excited about the opportunity to show her how much she means to me, to all of us.

Thank you, in advance, for your generosity.

For more information about IH and Emory's program, please watch this short video: