<div>Hi, my name is Nikki, and this is honestly one of the hardest things I’ve ever done—putting my story out into the world and asking for help. I'm a very private person, and I’ve gone back and forth about whether to share this at all.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>But at the end of the day, I know this: every little bit helps, and sometimes the hardest thing you can do is the most important.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Two years ago, I suffered what should have been a relatively minor injury — a partial kneecap dislocation. I followed every medical recommendation, expecting it to heal. But instead of getting better, things got worse. Much worse. The injury triggered Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)—a rare and devastating nerve disorder that causes constant, severe pain and a host of disabling symptoms. Every part of my life has been altered or taken away by this condition…It has left me disabled, exhausted, and fighting to be believed.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>For over a year, I begged doctors to help me. Doctor after doctor dismissed me, telling me I was “making it up,” or it was just “in my head.” I was told that nothing was wrong. I was treated like I was imagining things while my body was in full crisis mode…my symptoms spiraling out of control. I was left to suffer in silence, feeling invisible and terrified. It wasn’t until I flew across the country that I finally found a doctor who listened and gave me the diagnosis I’d feared: CRPS.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>What makes this even harder is that I’ve been through this before. When I was a child, I was diagnosed with CRPS—then called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). After a long and difficult journey, I was lucky enough to go into remission. I truly believed I was done with that chapter of my life…that it was behind me for good and I’d never have to live through that hell again. But now, after this knee injury, the CRPS has returned, and the pain is worse than ever and spreading.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Often called “the suicide disease,” CRPS causes constant, burning and stabbing nerve pain that is often described as worse than childbirth, amputation, or cancer pain, ranking at the top of the McGill Pain Index. It doesn’t stop. It doesn’t let up. It doesn’t play fair. Every day feels like a battle. Simple things—walking, sleeping, covering up by a blanket, even just being touched—can send waves of searing pain through my body. It feels like I’m trapped in a body that’s turned against me.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>I now have to use an electric scooter just to get through the grocery store or run simple errands because I can’t stand or walk for more than a few minutes without extreme pain. This has robbed me of so much independence, my mobility, and so many parts of the life I used to love. What once were everyday tasks are now challenges I have to plan for and take time and energy to recover from. I miss walking freely, running errands without thinking, and simply feeling like me.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>But it’s not just the physical pain that makes CRPS so hard—it’s emotionally exhausting. It wears you down. It’s isolating. Even when you’re surrounded by people who love you, you can still feel completely alone in it. It’s hard to explain what you’re going through when no one can see your pain—and harder still to keep smiling through it.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>I’ve tried everything that’s been offered to me—a brace, medications, physical therapy, nerve blocks, and even spinal injections. Each treatment has left me more discouraged. Nothing has worked. I’m exhausted. I’m in constant, excruciating pain every single day.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>I don’t ask for help lightly. I’m the kind of person who will quietly suffer and try to power through — even when the pain is breaking me. But this time, I need support—before this disease takes even more from me, and before it spreads more. There is one more option — and it might be the one that changes everything. It’s called Scrambler Therapy.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Scrambler Therapy is a non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment that retrains the way the brain and nervous system interpret pain signals. </strong>For many CRPS patients, it has brought lasting relief—some even remission. Unfortunately, it’s still considered “experimental” here in the US and insurance won’t cover it. The entire cost—clinic fees, the 10 days of treatments, travel to and from the clinic, and follow-up care—must be paid out of pocket, and costs thousands of dollars!
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>That’s why I’m here, sharing something so personal and vulnerable, hoping for a little help.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>I’m hoping to raise $4,500 to cover the full cost of getting this treatment and take a step toward living again—not just existing.</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>If you’ve ever known someone who’s lived in chronic pain…If you’ve ever been dismissed by a doctor or told your pain wasn’t real…or if you just want to help someone hold on to hope — please consider donating. It would mean the world to me! If you’re not in a position to give, I understand more than you know—and I’d be so grateful if you could share my story.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>I don’t know what tomorrow looks like, but I want to believe in a future with less pain and more freedom. This treatment is my chance to get there. It’s the best chance I’ve had in years!
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I’ve spent so long trying to manage this in silence, but now I’m choosing hope—and from the bottom of my heart, I’m so grateful to have you with me.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>With love and gratitude,
</div>
<div>Nikki
</div>

Anonymous

James Fontana

Glenn Nickerson

Anthony Diaz

Keysha Morales

Help Nikki Fight CRPS and Reclaim Her Life #NikkisCRPSFight

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

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

unclaimed charities

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

Help Nikki Fight CRPS and Reclaim Her Life #NikkisCRPSFight

Still $3,690 to go. Help us build momentum.