**Help Melissa Get Life-Changing Surgery for Chiari Malformation**

**A Sister’s Plea for Help**

My sister has been in pain her entire life. Being a 45 year old fierce, funny, beautiful, red-headed woman who was born as a Generation Xer in rural Idaho, she swallowed it all the best she could and pushed through the pain-working and raising her family. Once the youngest was off to college Melissa and her husband Skyler took the opportunity to move to a piece of inherited land in Texas ready to live the "country dream." In the middle of finding new jobs in a new town, before any "new" insurance could be secured, Melissa's life changing seizures began. And where Melissa now has an answer as to why she has always been in such pain, the solution still remains maddeningly out of reach wrapped up in the words Pre Existing Conditions.

**Melissa’s Story**

Last year, Melissa and her husband moved to Texas from Idaho after she inherited property. Excited for a new chapter in their lives, they never expected the nightmare that would follow. Less than a month after moving, Melissa began experiencing sudden and severe seizures. Her worried husband rushed her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed for the first time with **Chiari 1 Malformation**—a congenital brain condition she had unknowingly lived with her entire life.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. Melissa was in between jobs and had no health insurance at the time of her diagnosis. Now that she has insurance, she has been told that due to her preexisting condition, she must **wait an entire year** before her policy will cover the life-changing surgery she needs. In the meantime, her seizures have only worsened, making daily life unbearable.

**A Glimmer of Hope at ICSEB in Barcelona**

Melissa has found a world-renowned medical facility, the **Institut Chiari & Siringomielia & Escoliosis de Barcelona (ICSEB)**, that specializes in treating Chiari Malformation. They offer a minimally invasive procedure known as the **Filum System®**, which has shown great success in relieving symptoms with a faster recovery time than traditional surgery. ICSEB can perform the surgery **much sooner** than she could get it in the U.S., offering her a real chance at relief and recovery. However, without financial support, this option remains out of reach.

**How You Can Help**

We are raising **\$36,000** to cover the costs of:

- **The surgery and medical expenses at ICSEB (\~\$27,758)**

- **Travel to and from Barcelona (\~\$2,800 to \$5,700)**

- **A passport and necessary documentation (\~\$145)**

- **Post-surgery recovery care and living expenses (\~\$1,245 to \$2,445)**

Every dollar donated will go directly toward giving Melissa the chance to reclaim her life. She is a fighter, but she cannot do this alone. Please consider donating—no amount is too small. If you are unable to contribute financially, sharing this campaign with your friends, family, and community would mean the world to us.

**From the Bottom of My Heart, Thank You**

Melissa has always been there for the people she loves—now it’s our turn to be there for her. Let’s give her the chance to live without pain, without fear, and with hope for the future.

With gratitude, a worried sister, Jessica.