Help Andrea's Family Overcome Medical Challenges

My name is Andrea. I was born medically fragile with a unique combination of rare diseases. If you’ve ever asked me how I am, I’ve likely lied to you. I bury my pain, suffering, and fears beneath a smile and reassure others I am ok.

I am not. For the first time, I’m being honest about that. This is the first time I’m also asking for help; not for myself, but for my husband and my daughter…They are the reason I keep going.

Due to my combination of diseases, private health plans are over $4000 a month for me alone for coinsurance or inaccessible altogether because of pre-existing conditions. My husband and daughter have never had health insurance as we pour all our resources into my health needs and living expenses. My annual medical bills exceed $350,000, and we are supposed to pay 20% of that…and still have a life. We don’t vacation or spend freely. Rather my husband works tirelessly as a sole proprietor of a small business so that he also can be a full time caregiver for me and our daughter. Trying to surmount this ever-growing mountain alone is an impossible task as the copay for just my life-sustaining immunotherapy medication every month is $1000. I don’t even receive that much in my SSDI benefits. My monthly prescriptions and treatments average about $1500. But I’m denied all grant and assistance programs due to my age, the rareness of my conditions, or because my husband is employed.

The physical and emotional burdens of being sick and in pain all the time have taken a heavy toll on the quality of my life. However, watching my loved ones lose their happiness and quality of life as well in order to keep me alive is the worse suffering I’ve ever known. It’s the heaviest price I pay. This is why I am asking for help to cover my past and ongoing medical costs.

We spent our savings relocating across the country to be near family when it was recommended I needed a double mastectomy and DIEP Flap reconstruction following my spinal cord decompression. I underwent my surgery in June 2024 and require additional corrective surgeries. The 3 of us provide all the joy we have and make it through together. We strive daily to overcome. But we are tired and could certainly use some relief. We can’t fight this alone anymore.

There is so much I cannot fix though I have spent my life trying to do so. There is so much I’ll never understand about the greed of health system or why I was born this way. What I do know is that my husband deserves better and needs some support. My daughter deserves food on a table in house she knows she won’t lose. She deserves to have a mother alive and healthy enough to raise her, and parents who can be happy again. I deserve to live with some dignity, security, and happiness even though I was born sick.

If you are able to help my family, there will be no words great enough to express the profound gratitude I will feel. Please help my family if you are able. Thank you. Truly. If we can give back in our own way, I assure you we will!

Common Variable Immunodeficiency

Neuro autoimmune disease (SPS)

Dystonia with myoclonic spasms

Klippel-Feil Syndrome

Goldenhar Syndrome

Spinal cord remodeling with fusion

CHEK-2 mutation with bilateral mastectomy and DIEP Flap reconstruction

Arthritis

Myofacial Pain Disease…