Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Carol and John Fantaskey’s family needs our help to defray the out-of-pocket expenses for their daughter Dani’s medical care.

Dani has had two chronic diseases for several years, Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMA) and Crohn’s disease. Even with these associated difficult physical issues, she managed to graduate with her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State last year.  Recently her condition has deteriorated possibly due to the rare combination of these two diseases or the addition of an adrenal gland or pituitary gland imbalance. Because of the complexity of the interaction of the symptoms, the specialists here in State College and at Hershey Medical Center have not been able to determine the precise problem or a solution and so are unable to help. The family took Dani to Johns Hopkins on October 10, but they were not able to reach a diagnosis.

Dani’s condition is becoming urgent now, several times per week she has to be taken to the emergency room for overnight stays (and longer) to rehydrate and take on glucose nourishment.

However, various specialists and her GP have been able to gain an appointment for Dani at The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in early December (although they are hoping it will be sooner).  Dani’s family are optimistic that the unique teams of specialists there will be able to diagnose and solve this complex medical problem.

This Go Fund Me campaign is seeking $5,000 to support Carol and John’s out-of-pocket expenses they incurred when traveling to Johns Hopkins and for the expenses they will incur when traveling to Minnesota.  All of the funds raised will be given directly to Carol and John.

We hope you can help!

Esther Prins, Laurie Heininger, Roy Clariana, & Simon Hooper