Hi, Im Ed and Im fundraising to help Anita Schifter get back on her feet again,

Anita went to the hospital because the problems with her back had become impossible to ignore.

What doctors found changed everything.

A tumor had caused severe damage to her spine. She is now facing major surgery to remove the tumor and reconstruct and stabilize the damaged vertebrae with screws and implants.

After surgery, Anita will need inpatient rehabilitation and extensive physical therapy.

And that is only the first part.

Doctors have also found another tumor in her chest. Once she has recovered enough from the spinal surgery, she will have to face another operation to remove that tumor as well.

Thankfully, Anita has health insurance. Her medical treatment itself is covered apart from the usual costs and copayments.

The real financial problem is what happens to her life while she is unable to work.

Anita works as a Pferdepflegerin — caring for horses. It is demanding physical work: lifting, walking, bending, handling horses and being on her feet every day.

After major spinal surgery, rehabilitation and another operation still ahead, Anita will not be able to return to that work for the foreseeable future.

At this point, nobody can say when she will be physically capable of working again — or whether she will ever be able to return to the same kind of physically demanding work.

Her previous employment did not provide the normal social-insurance protection that would replace her income during a long illness. The basic assistance available to her simply isn’t enough to cover ordinary living expenses while she goes through treatment and recovery.

This fundraiser is therefore not about paying Anita’s hospital bills.

It’s about keeping her life together while she gets well.

Why €36,000?

The €36,000 goal isn’t based on medical bills.

It represents something much simpler: up to two years of basic financial breathing room — roughly €1,500 per month — while Anita goes through surgery, rehabilitation, another operation and recovery.

Nobody knows yet whether she will need that entire two years.

Nobody knows how long her recovery will take, when she will be able to work again, or whether the damage to her spine will mean that she eventually has to find an entirely different way to make a living.

The money raised will help Anita with housing, utilities, food, transportation, everyday necessities, rehabilitation-related expenses and all the ordinary costs of living that don’t stop simply because your ability to earn an income suddenly disappears.

€36,000 doesn’t make Anita’s problems disappear. It buys her time to deal with them.

Right now, Anita’s job is getting through spinal surgery.

Then getting back on her feet.

Then rehabilitation.

Then facing another tumor and another operation.

Then recovering from that.

And after all of that, figuring out what work and normal life can look like again.

Nobody expects to walk into a hospital because of a bad back and walk out facing tumors, spinal reconstruction, months of rehabilitation and the possibility that the work they have always relied upon may no longer be possible.

Anita shouldn’t have to solve all of those problems while simultaneously wondering how she is going to buy groceries or keep a roof over her head.

If you can contribute, any amount helps Anita buy that time.

If you can’t donate, please share her fundraiser. Getting Anita’s story in front of somebody who can help can make just as much of a difference.

The goal is simple:

Give Anita the time and security she needs to get back on her feet.