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UPDATE: 18 MAY 2026
Thank you!!! Oh my goodness I genuinely didn't think we'd make the goal! I'm so floored. I'll work up some sort of proper thanks post soon but for now, a quick word regarding moving forward...
- The fundraiser is staying open. $15k was our minimum for "threading the needle" so anything beyond it is still a huge help. It'll be allowing us some wiggle room to be able to absorb unforeseen costs should additional obstacles arrive. That's where we're at now: We can afford the plan, but only so long as nothing goes wrong. So anything extra at this point is buffering our path and helping us adapt. Still a BIG help.
- You can set up a monthly support feature for a small amount to just keep us afloat. If you're looking to do that, I'll keep this fundraiser live until October. That'll be around the time we're finally settled. Thank you!
Original Post:
I don't think I need to explain on this site the state of the American healthcare system (or lack thereof). So here's my situation:
My name is Alaira (al-AIR-ah) and I'm in need of some help. I'm losing my ability to walk. I'm in a wheelchair now and due to flareups of symptoms involving intense pain, paralysis and seizures I've been unable to work for the past two years. I'm supported by my husband but we cannot hope to afford the treatment I need. I don't qualify for disability services because I don't have a diagnosis. I don't have a diagnosis because we can't afford the specialists and tests necessary to get me one. So we're stuck, and my symptoms are progressing. We don't know what's killing me but it's getting worse and worse where I'm struggling to take care of myself in my own home now. I've been denied healthcare coverage by work, state, and federal avenues, always marginalized.
So the plan...
I'm going to try my luck elsewhere. If the USA won't help me, then perhaps another country will. My husband and I plan to immigrate to Australia where he will work in order to qualify me as a dependent for healthcare. Due to me not working for the past couple years, we can hardly afford to get ourselves there let alone set things up on the other end, so that's where y'all come in. We need help immigrating to a country that'll actually help me live. Due to the particulars of our circumstance and the immigration path my husband is eligible for, there comes a steep price of $15k. That bar is actually lower than it probably should be, but I'm not going to ask for more than what is minimally necessary to get us across the finish line. We're leaving our entire lives behind to try and keep me alive. Please help us make sure this plan works because this is truly our last hope.
Thank you for reading.
~ Alaira
~ Frequently Asked Questions ~
What specifically will your GoFundMe be paying for?
- Moving expenses and Immigration Lawyer fees. Also, moving abroad is very expensive without someone to meet us on the other side, so initial cost of getting settled alone will be steep for us. I am giving up a few medical supplies as well to make this move possible, but I'll only reacquire those if we exceed the goal. Getting to Australia and staying there is the clear and present goal.
Is there a deadline? When do you need the money by?
- There was a soft deadline: April 27th. That's when we left the USA and the money raised set the tone for how difficult or smooth that move was, that tone ending up being scraping by difficult. The GFM is staying open until the end of May though so there's still time to help us pick ourselves up and get going a bit smoother.
Do you get all of the money when we send it or only at specific goals?
- I receive direct deposits from the fundraiser daily, so typically about 24 hours after your donation it will be in my account and helping us on our way.
How much is the minimum to get you to Australia?
- The plane tickets have been purchased. Thank you so much! There's still plenty of other expenses that will make a huge difference for this move, but the minimum (plane tickets) has been met. Now it's just a matter of keeping a roof over our heads and food in our bellies while we work on getting sustainable living in order.
What exactly is your medical condition that requires such a move?
- This answer could easily run long, but the succinct version is that I am suffering a progressive loss of motor control, including regular flareups of symptoms where I lose all mobility from the neck down (paralysis). At my best, I am now wheelchair-bound and only able to take a few steps when necessary. I also suffer chronic pain that is quite extreme at times. Finally, I have seizures that were rare but are now infrequent. My GP recommended a neurologist to pursue a diagnosis, but I have been denied assistance in affording the tests, so I'm locked by poverty from knowing what precisely is happening to me. What I do know is that my symptoms have been getting worse and worsening faster lately. A year and a half ago, I could no longer hold a job due to the symptoms and used a cane to get around. A year ago I started using crutches. A few months ago I started using a wheelchair.
Is Go Fund Me the best way to support you?
- Yes. Compared to supporting me on Patreon or PayPal, Go Fund Me takes the smallest percentage and gets the money to me fastest.
Where will you be living initially once you get to Australia?
- My husband and I are entering into a weekly lease agreement to stay with someone in Melbourne which is where I'll be looking for more permanent residence from while he job hunts. This is the advisable route our immigration lawyers have recommended. Think of it like couch surfing with a contract to protect you from getting kicked out. Please excuse my vagueness, but I'm not comfortable offering a more specific answer to this question.
Is there anything I can do that isn't money-related to help?
- Yes. Spread the word and share my GoFundMe link on your socials and servers. The more people who have eyes on my page the more help I'll get.
Images captured by me in VRChat. Please allow me some anonymity, so I hope images of my fursona will do. I am an aspiring avatar creator and have been using VR for the last couple of years to escape my disability and explore my self-expression as a furry <3
The last image is artwork that I made to help spread the word.
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