Hi,

My name is Chandler. I have a sister who is disabled with a brain disease called Schizoaffective Disorder who receives room and board funded by both Orange County and the state. I have been visiting her since 2003, even while living abroad for work. These visits were financed with the help of my Dad, who passed away in 2020.

After three years in a nursing home beginning in 2019, Camille recovered fully from lithium poisoning. She was moved to a large assisted living facility in Orange County, CA, in November of 2022.

Thanks to all who donated last year to help me help her. I am now hoping that treatment for the worst of Camille's dozen or so basal cell cancers may succeed in January of 2024. The photo seen here was taken in November 2023 by Angie, a staff person at her assisted living home.

(With this transition to a new facility with less oversight, I started this campaign to help fund two trips in early 2023. A family presence, even a small one, makes a big difference in the quality of care a patient will receive.)

Camille needs medical care outside the facility, which will not take her to outside medical visits. Because she is often non-compliant about necessary medical treatment, I asked for and received a letter from her medical providers recently (Nov 2023) that declares her incompetent to make her own health care decisions. Hopefully this letter will help if she refuses the surgery treatment that has been arranged for early January, 2024. I will be flying to Orange County to facilitate the pre-surgery appointments that will hopefully result in a surgery for removal and reconstruction before I leave again on the 22nd of January. The UCI team will have to go far outside the usual dermatology routine to help Camille because of the extent of her cancers and her inability to participate in her own health care due to her brain disease. Fingers crossed!