Assist Mary in Her Long Road to Recovery

In October of 2023, Mary was hospitalized with pneumonia — what seemed like a simple illness quickly became the beginning of a long and painful journey. Before this, she had never faced serious health issues, but after that night she struggled to breathe, her life changed completely. She was repeatedly placed on high doses of prednisone, unaware of the long-term effects it would have on her body. Each time she seemed to get better, she would fall sick again — often bedridden, on and off oxygen, and unable to leave her home. After months of being dismissed and misdiagnosed by doctors, including a dangerous delay in care that nearly cost her her life multiple times, she was finally referred to a specialist in Salt Lake City. By then, she had undergone surgery to remove a mass on her thyroid — which sadly turned out not to be the cause of her illness. It wasn’t until she reached the University of Utah that she was correctly diagnosed with Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA) — a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the blood vessels and dangerously high levels of white blood cells.

By that point, the extended use of prednisone had severely weakened her immune system and bones — so much so that simple coughing could cause fractures. Eventually, several vertebrae in her neck collapsed and crushed her spinal cord, leaving her partially paralyzed in her right arm. She underwent an intense 8-hour surgery to relieve the pressure, but one of her fragile bones shattered during the procedure. Just four weeks later, she learned that the hardware from that surgery had shifted — the screws backed out and the wedge moved forward, pressing dangerously against her throat. She then had a second emergency spinal surgery, which took 13 hours. It was her third major surgery in under a year, and her body is extremely weak.

Mary has been out of work for nearly two years due to her condition, treatments, and surgeries. Despite everything, she has shown incredible strength and continues to fight every day. Her recovery is still expected to take at least a year if not more. We are asking for prayers, love, and any financial help you can give to ease the burden as she continues down the long road to recovery. Every bit of support matters — whether it’s a donation, a share, or a simple moment of prayer. Thank you for standing with Mary in this incredibly difficult time.