My name is Kelly Hoffman. I am a Clinical Mental Health Professional/Counselor, and I have been best friends with Elizabeth since 2002. When we met, she was a single mom also raising two of her siblings, which she removed from her abusive birth-home, completely on her own, financially. For many years, she worked two jobs to provide for all of her kids and somehow managed to carry the world on her shoulders, seemingly effortlessly. She was fearless, strong, courageous, maternal (even to her friends and siblings), and was the epitome of integrity and hard work. She has always been the one who has shown up for others, never allowing those she loves (and sometimes even strangers) to shoulder the hardships of life alone. One of my favorite things about her is how much she has helped others behind the scenes with one strict rule: "Do not publicize the help I have given you. I am doing this out of love, not for the recognition." She held her medical conditions privately and for years suffered alone. Most of us had no idea of the severity of her health until crisis hit. She always said, "I didn't want you to worry for no reason." So for me to be able to help her at this time is an honor. This fundraiser is the only way I can think of to help.

My best friend has been facing life-altering health challenges. She was diagnosed with dermatomyositis through a leg biopsy and with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) through a tilt table test. Standard treatment for dermatomyositis is steroids, which she is allergic to, and IVIG, of which she has had multiple rounds. Chemotherapy is the final course of treatment, but she had a severe allergic reaction that made further treatment impossible.

Her POTS disorder causes her to black out without warning, making it unsafe for her to be alone—even for simple tasks like using the bathroom. She cannot remain upright for long periods of time, which severely limits her independence. At one point, she was rendered fully disabled and wheelchair-bound for over a year. Although she has regained mobility, she still requires the use of a walker at times.

Beyond these challenges, she lives with constant pain in her arms and legs. Dermatomyositis destroys muscle tissue in all four limbs and also weakens the blood vessels, making IV treatments extremely difficult.

Until this past July, she had been traveling to Utah for symptomatic care. After returning home, her colon function began to fail, adding another serious complication.

After years of searching, a promising treatment option has been presented and thoroughly researched. The purpose of this GoFundMe is to cover the cost of this treatment and the travel required to receive it. Over the past five years, she and her husband have had to liquidate every asset they owned to pay for medical care and in-home support. Unfortunately, none of the prior treatments have provided lasting relief.

This new treatment offers real hope for remission of the dermatomyositis, improved quality of life, and the possibility of her regaining independence. Our goal with this fundraiser is to give her the chance at more time, better health, and, hopefully, the ability to return to a more normal life. She is the most giving person I know. She cried when I told her I was doing this. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

We understand that some people dislike using GoFundMe for donations, so she has a Cash App and Venmo set up to receive this.