Please help Alana with expenses while undergoing surgery

Dear family, friends, and the best coworkers anyone could ask for,

I'm starting this GoFundMe for our dear friend and coworker, Alana—someone who is not only beautiful and hilarious but also incredibly kind and brave.

Alana and has chosen to build a new life here in Victoria, where she applied for permanent residency. She and her husband moved here from Recife, Brazil, full of hope and excitement for their future.

In the fall of 2024, Alana began experiencing migraine headaches and hearing loss in her right ear. Initial tests revealed excess fluid in her skull, and she started treatment to relieve the pressure. However, a more recent MRI revealed two tumors: one in the posterior right occipital lobe of her skull and an acoustic neuroma in her ear.

Just this week, Alana received news that surgery is now urgent due to the risk of permanent vision loss from pressure on her optic nerves. She’ll be undergoing brain surgery in Vancouver this month, with a second surgery planned later to address the tumor in her ear.

As you can imagine, this has placed a huge emotional and financial burden on Alana and her husband. That’s why I told her: we’ve got this.

What your support will help with:

Travel expenses – Alana’s mom is flying in from Brazil to help care for her. Both her husband and mom will need to travel to Vancouver for the surgeries and follow-up appointments.

Lost wages – Alana will be on medical leave, and as we all know, that doesn’t cover 100% of income. Her husband will also need to take time off work to support her through this long recovery.

Post-surgery therapy – There’s a 50% chance of facial paralysis following surgery. Alana may need facial muscle therapy, auditory therapy, and additional treatments, especially if the tumor is found to be cancerous.

We’ve set an initial fundraising goal based on current needs, but we may need to adjust it depending on pathology results and recovery time.

Thank you all so much for your love and support. The Brazilian community—and everyone who knows Alana—has shown such strength and generosity. I know we can help carry them through this.

With gratitude,

Amie Sahota & of course Alana and family.