This is my first GoFundMe fundraiser. The thought of asking for help, especially for money, is difficult for me but here goes.

My younger sister Gail just had her left leg amputated at the knee due to complications from diabetes. It began when she cut her toe during a self-pedicure. After days of nurturing the small cut, it wasn’t healing. To make a very long story as short as possible, her toes developed gangrene. The podiatrist amputated her big and second toe, but her foot turned blue and was ice cold. The vascular surgeon performed a procedure to open the veins in her leg. It worked for a week and then her foot turned blue again. She visited many different specialists and spent hours every day in a hyperbaric chamber to increase blood flow to her foot. The lack of blood flow caused a sensation she said was like having an ongoing charley horse in her leg. Can you imagine? I took her to the vascular surgeon on Tuesday who said amputation was the next step.

Gail is married to a very supportive man named Shane. They don’t have any children, but they have many animals. She and Shane have been involved in animal rescue for about 20 years. Even when we were kids, Gail had to bring home every stray critter that limped or looked cold or hungry. Her compassion grew over the years, and many who are involved in animal rescue call Gail whenever a litter of kittens has lost their mother. This requires bottle-feeding preemies every two hours all day and night. She also volunteers in several local counties at the TNR clinics (trap, neuter, release). She and Shane will also leave food for the ferals and transport cats and dogs from overcrowded shelters to rescue groups.

Gail has relentlessly cared for animals at the expense of her own health. She had a heart attack in May 2023. Her health issues render her unable to work. Because of all her volunteer time in animal rescue, she however, hasn’t had enough paid employment to qualify for SSD. Shane makes a modest salary working at a car dealership. He has no health insurance because he can’t afford the premiums. He has already used up his two weeks of vacation and sick time for this year taking Gail to medical treatment. Adding insult to injury, they’ve had some necessary car repairs as well as a tree recently falling on their house. The insurance deductible was a catastrophic $1,000.

In the midst of their struggles, they are three months behind on their mortgage payments. One more month and they will face foreclosure.

Besides Shane, I’m her only living immediate family member. Our parents died young. Although she is 57, she’s my little sister and needs your help.

If you could please send a small gift to help them keep their home, and keep the lights on, we would be so grateful. No donation is too small.

I will be the treasurer of this account and ensure that any funds donated will be paid to their mortgage company, utility companies, and overdue bills. If there is any money left over, I will start them an emergency fund account.

My prayer is that, with your help, my sister can focus on recovery and not worry about losing her home.

I understand that a financial gift may be impossible for some. Please know that we appreciate any prayers you can lift for her and would love it if you could add her (Gail Covington) to prayer chains or lists at your church. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Feel free to share with others. I promise to keep you updated on her recovery as well as how funds are spent.

Thank you for any support you can give.

Ann Damron