Help Our Friend Through Devastating Long COVID

*Loving up on Emily on New Year's Day a decade or so ago*

My dear friend, Emily Zionts, has always been a fiercely dedicated world-changer. I’ve known her for 25 years now, and have witnessed her tirelessly fighting, educating, and advocating for human and environmental rights as well as inspiring others to be the change that humanity needs.

*A shot from a Youth Empowerment program she co-founded*

I’ve known Emily to plow through 60+ hour work weeks for years on end as she served as an educator for social and environmental justice, creating and organizing youth empowerment programs and even professional development for teachers. Before 2020, her life was full of dancing, Zumba classes, backpacking trips, music-making, and walking 4+ miles with her dog every.single.day. But my heart hurts for her, and it’s been hurting for the past four years.

*Meeting up with a former high school student at The Climate March in NYC*

The Devastation of Long COVID

Since 4/6/2020, my wonderful friend has been deep in a battle with Long COVID. This complex and novel illness has left her debilitated by pain and sickness, completely turning her previously active and highly motivated life upside-down. I rejoice for Emily anytime she has a rare day when she feels "almost well", and I fall into empathic sadness anytime I experience a day when I feel unwell and bedridden. Because I know that for me it’ll only last a few days, but for Emily, it’s been lasting years. And there is so much more that she suffers than sickness.

*Bed-bound with Gingko, her Emotional Support Muppet*

Add the very real fears of not knowing if she’ll have enough money for rent, bills, extra medical expenses, and dog food each month. Then there's the loss of her sense of identity, the grief of missing her ability to be physically active or being unable to get into wild nature more than a couple of times a year, and the heartbreaking isolation. Between not working, being bed-bound frequently, and the COVID risk as a medically vulnerable person, this community-building extrovert is alone for weeks sometimes.

*All of that* is on TOP of the severe fatigue, chronic migraines, nausea, insomnia, and body pain that she experiences daily. Through our phone conversations, I know that Emily has felt close to breaking at times and I’m constantly impressed with her ability to retain her joyful light, perspective, and gratitude.

*Wearing a goofy hat while refilling her pillbox*

For the last 15+ years, Emily has been giving 150% of her energy and passion to the good fight (yet for very little pay). Now she is navigating being disabled to the point where finding any job that fits her limitations feels impossible. I can’t even grasp how hard losing access to so many of the things that bring her joy and meaning has been for her beautiful spirit--let alone repeatedly facing potential homelessness.

The Cost and Urgency

Being disabled is expensive on many levels that able-bodied people might not be aware of. I know the financial anxieties alone have significantly worsened her illness given that Long COVID is negatively impacted by stress.

It is heartbreaking how despite seeing more than a dozen doctors and specialists over 3.5+ years, filling her days with doing her best to follow all of the healing protocols, researching and advocating for her own ailment, and trying every treatment she has financial access to, Emily’s condition seems to worsen each year.

Her Attempts to Find Stability

Emily is a giver and it is harder for her to receive, especially as this nightmare illness drags on--even though she deserves all of the abundance, healing, and support that the world has to offer.

She has been denied by Social Security for disability benefits twice over the last 2.5 years and has yet to have a date for her hearing. I know Emily feels that she has exhausted her friends' and family’s resources, and so she also steadily searches for and applies to many other forms of financial support (211, etc.) with very little result.

During 2023, Emily attempted to return to work as a childcare provider, facilitator, and homecare provider--all of which made her sicker. I know she is very anxious about January’s rent check bouncing, the low chances of her being awarded SSDI, and is unsure of where any of her future rent/bills will come from. Let's get those donations rolling in today so that this doesn't need to be a constant stressor!

What the Future Holds

While we all have our fingers crossed for a 2024 where:

*Emily’s health dramatically improves and she can return to the life she knew and loved*

Or at the very least:

*Her health becomes more stable, she is accepted to receive SSDI, and can return to part-time work*

But a future with Long COVID is very uncertain. When our social systems let our loved ones fall through the cracks, it’s up to us to help keep them afloat. Please join me in showering her with love and hope as she struggles to make ends meet.

It would be AMAZING if we could raise $15,000 by her birthday on February 7th!

Want to use a different way to give $$?

Emily would happily accept Venmo (@Emily-Zionts) or Paypal donations

Unfamiliar with Emily’s pre-COVID work in the world?

Check out her LinkedIn profile!

Curious about her Long COVID journey?

Check out her LinkTree with several links to professional interviews she has given!

Also, Emily’s Facebook insightful posts about Long COVID are public and you can follow along!

Other ways you can help

Any amount of financial gift that you can offer at all is deeply appreciated, but the following forms of support would also improve Emily’s life:

--If you can please *share the link* to this GoFundMe on social media! It helps to add a few of your own words about why donating is worthwhile

--Cooked food! Emily still often struggles to have the energy to cook for herself. Offering to drop a meal off at her house would be wonderful! She doesn’t always feel well enough to hang out, but (gluten-free) food is appreciated.

With so much gratitude,

Jeyn Jack (and Emily!)