My daughter, Anja Marie, is 20 years old and has been battling a severe and rapidly worsening illness for over a year. She’s been diagnosed with POTS, but doctors believe there are other underlying conditions, and she faces a long road of tests and specialist visits. As a single mom with no child support or outside assistance, I’m struggling to keep up with the mounting medical bills, expensive nutrition drinks, and the special diet she needs to survive. Anja is currently rated 9 out of 10 on the disability scale, which means she can’t work, and her quality of life has been devastated. She’s lost weight to the point where her doctors have warned that if she can’t gain weight within a month, she’ll need feeding tubes or risk life-threatening malnutrition. The nutrition drinks she needs are extremely costly, and she requires several each day just to maintain her health. Every day is a fight for her, and it’s heartbreaking to watch her cry and say she doesn’t want to live like this anymore, even though she desperately wants to get better and live a full life.

Despite all of this, Anja still dreams of a future. She’s an artist at heart and has even created a business name for a small jewelry and art business she hopes to start from home. Right now, her illness makes it hard for her to be creative, but I know that with the right support, she can regain her strength and confidence. She’s an animal lover, once dreamed of being a vet, and has always wanted to make a difference in the world. The funds from this fundraiser will go directly toward her uncovered medical expenses, nutrition, daily living costs, and helping her find purpose and hope through creative work she can do from home. Any support will help us survive this crisis and give Anja the chance to heal, rediscover her passions, and reclaim her future.