<div>My name is Skyler, and many of you probably know me as the Executive Director of Human Defense Initiative, where I have served pregnant moms and families in need for more than eight years. While I have helped launch countless fundraisers for others over the years, I never imagined I would have to create this one for myself and my family. We have two major needs that have put us in a dire financial position. I know our story is a little long, but I sincerely ask that you please take a few minutes to read it. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>NEED ONE: </strong>
</div>
<div>At the beginning of August, I developed an infection and went to the primary care doctor after developing high blood pressure, high resting heart rate, pain, and fever, where I was prescribed antibiotics. I went home thinking I would recover, but unfortunately, I was wrong. Despite the medication I was prescribed, over the next few days, my symptoms spiraled out of control, and I only became more ill. Left with no other option, I went to the hospital. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>When I got to the ER, my resting heart rate was 130, my blood pressure was extremely high, and I felt absolutely horrible. Upon being evaluated, I was admitted for borderline sepsis, along with a high heart rate and high white blood cell count. I was hospitalized for a week where I received IV antibiotics and a host of other medications before finally being sent home to finish my recovery. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>As you can imagine, this left me with a huge medical bill since I have no insurance, and I know people will say I should. However, outside of my volunteer work with HDI, for which I do not receive a salary, I work in marketing and am self-employed, and unfortunately, after paying my regular bills and living expenses, I simply cannot afford the monthly insurance premiums, and I do not qualify for state assistance. I want to make clear that I accept responsibility for my hospital bills, will be setting up a payment plan with the hospital, and am NOT fundraising for those costs. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>However, I am over six weeks out from when I originally fell ill, and although the initial infection is gone, I am still suffering from high diastolic blood pressure and high resting heart rate with no answers for why this is continuing. To make matters worse, shortly after I came home from the hospital, one of my main marketing clients informed me that they were letting me go, causing me to lose a significant source of income at the worst possible time. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>At this point, I need to be evaluated by a cardiologist and undergo testing to determine what is happening and the next steps to get my health under control so I am trying to raise funds for the testing I need. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Asking for help is not easy for me. I don't believe I am any more deserving than anyone else struggling financially or dealing with health issues. My parents and I live paycheck to paycheck covering our regular expenses like many families, and we don't have the extra funds for this unexpected medical need. I just want to feel better and be healthy again so I can continue supporting myself and my family while continuing to serve others.  
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>NEED TWO: </strong>
</div>
<div>At the same time that I have been dealing with my health, my stepfather has been facing health struggles of his own. For the last several months, he has been dealing with kidney issues and health problems from working in the extreme Texas heat. Because of this, he has been paying for IV treatments to help keep himself out of the hospital, while still continuing to work in the blistering heat to provide for our family. He is 69 years old and still works outside in extreme weather conditions every day. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We are a hardworking family that, like so many others, makes just enough to pay our bills and get through each month. With everything that has happened and trying to stay afloat, my stepfather’s work truck payments have sadly fallen behind, and we are now at risk of losing the vehicle he relies on to make a living. We have defaulted on our loan contract and have to bring the truck current with all over due amount paid by September 15th or it will be repossessed. In order to save the work truck from repossession so that my stepfather can continue to work and keep our lives going, we have to pay the defaulted amount of $3,015.24, which includes all late payments and late fees/penalties before that date. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Unfortunately, if we do not fundraise enough for the defaulted amount for the truck, my stepfather will lose his work truck on September 16th, and if this happens, due to the late payments on the truck and current missing payments, he will not be able to acquire another truck with these hits on his credit. Therefore, he will not have a work vehicle to do his job, we will lose our home, and our entire lives will be turned upside down. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Despite everything happening, we are continuing to work, sick or not, and use what we earn to pay our regular monthly expenses. We aren't asking others to take care of our everyday bills. We are only asking for help getting through two expenses that we cannot overcome on our own right now. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The funds we receive from the fundraiser will bring the truck current and go to medical testing at the cardiologist, so the total we are asking for is $6,500. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>SUMMARY:</strong>
</div>
<div>Our goal is $6,500. Of that:
</div>
<div>• $3,015.24 will bring the work truck current and prevent repossession.
</div>
<div>• The remaining funds will go toward my cardiology appointments, heart testing, and related self-pay medical expenses.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>NOTES: </strong>
</div>
<div>If you are able to give, no amount is too small. Every $5, $10, $20, or share gets us one step closer to keeping my stepfather working and helping me get the medical answers I need.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>If God puts it on your heart to give, we would be incredibly grateful. Even if you can't give, we ask for your prayers during this trying time and would be just as thankful if you would share our story and pray.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Thank you to everyone who gives, shares, or prays for us. We are also praying for every family facing their own health or financial struggles right now. Your kindness means more to us than you know.
</div>

Kristin Gentry

Anonymous

THOMAS W HENRY

Ellie Rutan

Felicia Dodd

Mylee Kann

Time-Sensitive Emergency Need For Our Family

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

be_supporter_comments_enabled_supported_funds

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

currencyCode

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

Influencer - Prod

US fundraisers and US users

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Time-Sensitive Emergency Need For Our Family

Still $5,434 to go. Help us build momentum.