Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read our story.

Since the start of this year, our family has been facing a series of devastating health challenges that have left us emotionally, physically, and financially overwhelmed.

In January, our lives were turned upside down when my son, who is autistic and has ADHD, had his first seizure. He was later diagnosed with epilepsy, and since then, he's had three more seizures. He was placed on medications to help manage his condition, but they’ve significantly altered his behavior. We’re still trying to find the right medication to stabilize his condition and support his mental well-being.

My son has also recently been diagnosed with catatonia, a serious condition that has dramatically changed his daily life. He has stopped eating, sleeping, using the bathroom on his own, and has lost interest in everything he once loved. He’s become extremely passive and unresponsive, and it's been heartbreaking to witness.

After a long and difficult period, he was admitted to CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) for nearly two weeks to receive specialized care. We live on the opposite end of the city, so we had to rely on Uber to travel back and forth each day to be by his side. The cost of transportation alone has added up quickly, on top of everything else. We travel to his other many appointments by Uber, as TTC is not an option for our family. His appointments are far and require hours of commuting, which simply isn’t feasible given the frequency and urgency of his care.

We’re still working closely with multiple medical teams to find the right treatment and care for him, but the emotional and financial strain on our family has been immense.

For over 13 years I’ve been a single mom who suffers from depression, anxiety, and OCD. I’ve had severe lower back pain since 2018 which only got worse due to my diagnosis back in February for degenerative disk disease in my C6 and C7. The pain has been so severe that for weeks I was confined to bed, unable to cook, clean, or take care of my son and daughter. The prescribed medications haven't helped, and I'm still struggling to get an appointment with my family doctor to find any path forward. I also can’t afford to pay for physiotherapy either. During flare-ups, I can do nothing but lie in bed in pain, which has forced us to rely on ordering food daily, adding more financial strain to our already difficult situation.

This crisis has also deeply affected my daughter. After her brother’s first seizure, she began suffering from severe anxiety and panic attacks, which affected her ability to sleep, eat, or attend her master’s program classes. Soon after, she began showing symptoms of POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), which has left her bedridden during flare-ups and completely unable to work, drive, or even go out with friends. She was supposed to complete her co-op placement this summer, but that too has been put on hold. She’s also been taking Ubers to and from her medical appointments, as she can’t use public transit either.

With none of us able to work, and the ongoing cost of daily Uber rides, specialist visits, hospital stays, and food, our bills are piling up faster than we can keep up with. We are doing everything we can to care for each other, but we’ve reached a point where we desperately need help.

If you are able to donate even a dollar, it would go a long way in helping us stay afloat during this extremely difficult time. Your support would mean the world to our family as we try to heal and navigate these overwhelming medical challenges together.

Thank you so much for reading, sharing, or donating.

With gratitude,

Arya & Family