Akira Battles Cushing’s Disease

Akira is my best friend. We met at planet fitness and instantly clicked. She took me in when I had no where to go and no one there for me. She’s been there for me when she didn’t have anything herself but knew I needed someone. She’s one of the most giving and friendly people I know. Before I met Akira, she bounced around in the foster care sytem and between different relatives, where she was forced to grow up quickly in bad situations. Despite all of that and battling dyslexia, Akira fought to get into college, won a scholarship based on her adoption status, and built a community of friends there at her sorority there. Life was finally looking up! After her first year of college, the state revoked her scholarship based on a technicality.  Unable to afford tuition, Akira had to drop out of college, but she did not give up. She worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, but two winters ago she crashed her car on ice. Thankfully she survived, but she suffered injuries and her car was totalled.  In order to make payments on the rest of the loan she owed, Akira was forced to get another car because she lives in a rural area and could not otherwise get to work to afford her bills. This year has brought on increasing financial, mental, and physical struggles. Through it all, Akira has struggled on-and-off with health complications, including diabetes, and has had a number of terrible reactions to medicine. She is trying desperately to keep her head up, but she also struggles with depression. Akira started going to a new specialist who told her he thought she might have Cushing Syndrome. After several different tests and weeks going by, she found out that she has Cushing syndrome. Little did we all know, that is what has caused most of her health problems. Sigh of relief, right ? Not quite yet. Cushing syndrome stems from a tumor or by medications. The tumor could be on her adrenal or pituitary gland. One near her kidneys and one of her brain. So, they scheduled an MRI because her doctor was 80% sure it was on her brain. This past Monday Akira got her MRI and yesterday found out she has a 0.7cm tumor on her pituitary gland. She goes back to him on the 14th to discuss treatment . Most of the time treatment includes new medications and brain surgery. From being so sick and all the doctors appointments, Akira lost her job at a factory that was helping her stay afloat. Big financial strain. But she went back to the drawing board. This past Sunday Akira woke up to her car being taken from her. we started a gofundme in the summer but with us finding out she has Cushing Syndrome and losing her job... we thought we’d give it another shot. Even though it's difficult to ask for help again, she needs it now more than ever. I am starting this Go Fund Me campaign to raise up to $6,000 for my best friend to pay enough to save her car. The rest will be used to start an emergency fund to supplement her income. You may not know my best friend, but she is a beautiful, vivacious woman who loves to laugh, a great cat mom, a good friend, and a loving sister. I know my best friend will go on to do amazing things, but she just needs a little help right now.  If you were lucky enough to grow up in a traditional family structure, have support from your family, afford a college education, or otherwise are doing okay for yourself, please consider donating even $5 or $10 to my beautiful best friend. I promise both of us will pay it forward double-fold. For those interested, these are a few of Akira's regular monthly expenses: $487 for rent $150 electric bill $200 a month for groceries (supplemented by food bank) $500 a month for car/insurance