Donate to help Maribel Harvath and Family

I wanted to fill you in about a family crisis that our friend, co-worker & colleague Maribel Harvath and her family are experiencing. Maribel used to be an Assistant State’s Attorney, and she met her husband, Doug, in 1998 just before they started in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. She left the CCSAO after 5 years to join the United States Attorney's Office in 2003. She was a federal prosecutor for the USAO for many years before moving to the healthcare industry. She began working in legal and compliance for GE Healthcare in early 2019.

Maribel has always been a talented, very high-functioning, outgoing and energetic attorney, but her family began to see some verbal and cognitive deficits in 2021, and she began to deteriorate in this respect earlier this year. In October, after neurological and neuropsychological testing, brain imagining and a lumbar puncture, Maribel and her family received the worst news imaginable: that she has Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. She is only 49 years old, and this is extraordinarily young for this diagnosis. The diagnosis has created tremendous sadness, anxiety, and fear for Maribel and her family.

Maribel is receiving appropriate medical care, but as you know there currently is no cure or effective treatment for this disease. She has been on a leave of absence from GEHC since July, and Doug will be her long-term caretaker going forward. Their kids (14-year-old twins) are also struggling to understand and cope with this as you can well imagine.

Maribel & Doug appreciate your thoughts and your kindness as they come to terms with the new trajectory they’re facing. Things will be very challenging, and they are now faced with serious financial difficulties. Maribel is permanently unable to work, and she has no long-term disability insurance coverage. They are committed to caring for their children, staying in their home, and living as normal a life as they can. But, they are in dire need of financial assistance.

The Harvath family greatly appreciates any help you can provide, and they are grateful for your kindness and support.

Update - Please note that I’ve just learned GoFundMe takes a “tip” on top of their fees for each donation. THE TIP DOES NOT GO TO MARIBEL. You can adjust the tip down to ZERO. There is a bar under the amount you enter to adjust the tip. Thank you!

12/19 Update - I’m excited to let everyone know that we have reached our initial goal of $100,000! Thanks to everyone for your contributions. If you haven’t yet donated and wish to, please do so. I’ve increased our goal so as to continue supporting Maribel and family. They need all of our possible help and support. Let’s keep it going!!!!