Since 2009, Katharine Hanna has been living with chronic lung disease similar in its symptoms to cystic fibrosis. It causes the body to produce large amounts of phlegm that clogs the airways and traps bacteria, leading to recurring infections that have severely damaged her lungs. Her heart has been weakened by the increased workload on it caused by her lungs being unable to function normally. In May 2016 she started home hospice with a prognosis of 6 months to live due to incurable respiratory failure. In addition, she has chronic back pain made worse by having to sleep in an upright position, due to the lung disease, for the past 6 years. However, in November she was surprised when her energy improved noticeably after she increased the amount of a natural supplement she'd been taking. She was thrilled to realize that, although her lung disease and heart condition are incurable, if her energy continued to improve, she'd be able to live a few more months and even continue doing her creative work—photography and art.
Her words: “I need help to live so I'm reaching out to you. I want to live as fully as I can for as long as I can, God willing—and, if my energy allows, to continue making and sharing images of beauty. Recently my focus shifted radically from preparing to die soon to being open to improved energy, comfort, and productivity. At 5 feet 8 inches, I weigh 92 pounds and have extreme shortness of breath and weakness. I am oxygen-dependent (compressor and portable tanks) 24/7. Charles, my loving and loyal partner and care giver, has been carrying the weight of most of the household tasks and my care for over 4 years. My brother is very generous in helping us meet our monthly household expenses. Although my Medicare and supplemental insurance cover most medically-prescribed comfort measures (vs. curative measures which I discontinued entirely prior to starting hospice), other important parts of my care must be paid for out-of-pocket. And Charles and I can no longer pay for them without help. These include: the natural supplement (for improved energy and reduced occurrence and severity of lung infections); home care service 4 hours a week (to take some of the burden off Charles and maintain a clean and safe living space); durable medical equipment not covered by insurance (for mobility, safety, and pain management), and massage (to reduce the back pain and alleviate extreme dryness caused by medications). All of these make life in this body more tolerable and can free up my attention and energy for creative work.
We need $8,120 to cover these expenses for a period of 4 months. Charles will be handling the fundraising details per our Durable Power of Attorney for Finances agreement, withdrawing funds to a special Care for Katharine account in our wonderful Self-Help Credit Union, consulting with me as I am able on all expenditures based on our list of care goals above and keeping the fund account records.
I invite you to view some of my photos at: link to some of my photos on Flickr
I share my work through online relationships on Flickr and Facebook with hundreds of other photographers and friends. I know from their feedback that the images touch people's hearts and make a difference in their lives. I feel that making this contribution is what I’m here for. The supplement and other care supports help me do that. If you are able to help, I thank you from deep in my heart for your help. Every donation, even if very modest, helps.”
Update 1/23/17:
In a little over three days 48 donations have brought us just over our fundraiser goal amount. We are amazed and lifted up by the outpouring of generosity by so many of our friends and family. We have decided to open the door to the possibility of two more months of care, budgeting for the same un-covered care items described above, bringing the goal to $12,350.
There is never a way to predict how long any of us have to live. So planning a budget for end of life care is a difficult thing. And no detailed planning is possible for miracles, except to always be open to all possibilities! For these reasons we want to assure all donors and those considering a donation that any unspent funds, due to no longer needing care items planned for, will be used for end-of-life expenses and, with any funds not needed for that, contributions will be made to non-profit conservation organizations of Katharine’s choice.
Again, thank you for being part of this wonderful circle of caring, love and support.
i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings;and of the gay
great happening ilimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any - lifted from the no
of all nothing - human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
—e. e. cummings
Her words: “I need help to live so I'm reaching out to you. I want to live as fully as I can for as long as I can, God willing—and, if my energy allows, to continue making and sharing images of beauty. Recently my focus shifted radically from preparing to die soon to being open to improved energy, comfort, and productivity. At 5 feet 8 inches, I weigh 92 pounds and have extreme shortness of breath and weakness. I am oxygen-dependent (compressor and portable tanks) 24/7. Charles, my loving and loyal partner and care giver, has been carrying the weight of most of the household tasks and my care for over 4 years. My brother is very generous in helping us meet our monthly household expenses. Although my Medicare and supplemental insurance cover most medically-prescribed comfort measures (vs. curative measures which I discontinued entirely prior to starting hospice), other important parts of my care must be paid for out-of-pocket. And Charles and I can no longer pay for them without help. These include: the natural supplement (for improved energy and reduced occurrence and severity of lung infections); home care service 4 hours a week (to take some of the burden off Charles and maintain a clean and safe living space); durable medical equipment not covered by insurance (for mobility, safety, and pain management), and massage (to reduce the back pain and alleviate extreme dryness caused by medications). All of these make life in this body more tolerable and can free up my attention and energy for creative work.
We need $8,120 to cover these expenses for a period of 4 months. Charles will be handling the fundraising details per our Durable Power of Attorney for Finances agreement, withdrawing funds to a special Care for Katharine account in our wonderful Self-Help Credit Union, consulting with me as I am able on all expenditures based on our list of care goals above and keeping the fund account records.
I invite you to view some of my photos at: link to some of my photos on Flickr
I share my work through online relationships on Flickr and Facebook with hundreds of other photographers and friends. I know from their feedback that the images touch people's hearts and make a difference in their lives. I feel that making this contribution is what I’m here for. The supplement and other care supports help me do that. If you are able to help, I thank you from deep in my heart for your help. Every donation, even if very modest, helps.”
Update 1/23/17:
In a little over three days 48 donations have brought us just over our fundraiser goal amount. We are amazed and lifted up by the outpouring of generosity by so many of our friends and family. We have decided to open the door to the possibility of two more months of care, budgeting for the same un-covered care items described above, bringing the goal to $12,350.
There is never a way to predict how long any of us have to live. So planning a budget for end of life care is a difficult thing. And no detailed planning is possible for miracles, except to always be open to all possibilities! For these reasons we want to assure all donors and those considering a donation that any unspent funds, due to no longer needing care items planned for, will be used for end-of-life expenses and, with any funds not needed for that, contributions will be made to non-profit conservation organizations of Katharine’s choice.
Again, thank you for being part of this wonderful circle of caring, love and support.
i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings;and of the gay
great happening ilimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any - lifted from the no
of all nothing - human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
—e. e. cummings