Thank you for taking the time to read this. My name is Freyja, and I’m asking for help to get post-stroke treatment for my 53 year old mom, Anissa.
My mom is an inspiring and simply awesome woman. For 20 years she has run her own creative business, sourcing inspiration and supplies from the beaches of BC, Canada.
It’s hard for me to think of my mom without picturing the ocean, the tideline, or the treasures she would bring back. If you know her, you’d likely agree.
Unfortunately, it’s been almost a year since she’s been able to go to the beach. In November of 2024, my mom suffered a series of transient ischemic strokes, followed by a more serious episode which has left her with a significant disability.
The strokes happened on both sides of the front part of her brain, which has drastically changed how her legs function and feel. Her most challenging symptom is muscle spasticity and stiffness. She cannot walk without assistance and now spends most of her time in a wheelchair.
Despite this, Anissa has remained resilient. She has stayed positive, even when I’ve struggled, and continues with physiotherapy in the face of chronic pain. She also keeps creating whenever she can, even though she can no longer visit her creative home - the beach.
My mom’s life has looked a lot different these last 10 months. She can’t live on her own or open her shop to sell her art. We’ve exhausted all options within our local medical system and are now looking at private treatment in the United States.
The Institute of Neurological Recovery in Florida has reviewed her MRI and medical records, and they believe their treatment could bring real improvements in her muscle spasticity and pain, which are the main things holding her back from regaining independence.
Our first appointment is set for November 5, 2025, and we need to raise funds before then to make it happen.
This is the most hopeful option we’ve seen so far, but the cost is quite significant. The treatment is $17,000 USD, or roughly $23,700 CAD. Our goal is set higher to hopefully help offset some of the travel and accommodation costs.
This treatment has already helped many patients, like my mom, see real progress from the adverse challenges of stroke.
Even a small improvement in her mobility could mean less pain, more stability on her feet, and renewed hope for the independent coastal life she loves.
Every time I’ve gone to the beach this past year, I’ve just wished my mom could be there beside me. With your help, I hope we can get her back to walking the shoreline, where she belongs.
Thank you for taking the time to read, to share, or to donate — it means more than I can say.