Help Me Save Anna — A Bright Light Fighting a Terminal Illness

Hi, my name is Sam, and I’m creating this fundraiser on behalf of my best friend and soul mate, Anna — the sweetest, kindest, & most incredibly strong 26-year-old who is fighting for her life against a rare, complex, and terminal illness. 

Anna is not just my best friend — she’s family. She’s the person who lights up every room she enters. She loves puzzles, nature, Halloween, our pups Stella & Theo, spending time with her family & ‘her Sam’ (me!). Watching her battle through unbearable pain every single day for weeks has been the most heartbreaking experience of my life — and I’ve vowed to never stop fighting for her.

But now, we need your help.

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Our Current Medical Crisis

Anna has a progressive, multi-system illness that includes mast cell activation syndrome, gastroparesis, and POTS. She depends on a G/J feeding tube and a central line for life-sustaining medications and nutrition. Her situation is extremely complex — and it’s getting worse.

Due to a recent medical complication, Anna is no longer able to take her full spectrum of medications, many of which are life-sustaining. The only way to fix this is through a specialized surgical procedure that no local provider will perform, either due to lack of expertise or fear of liability. 

We’ve exhausted every option in the Raleigh area. We’ve begged hospitals. We’ve consulted specialists. But Anna’s case is too complex, and too risky for local teams to take on- the system has failed us….. the local system doesn’t believe that giving her a few extra years of life is worth the risk- BUT I DO!

There are doctors out there — surgeons and clinics across the country — who can help her. But the consults, travel, and necessary medical supplies are not covered by insurance, and the financial strain is now more than we can carry.

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What Your Donation Will Help Cover

• Out-of-state consultations with specialists who understand Anna’s rare disease

• Uncovered medical supplies and adaptive equipment that insurance won’t pay for

• Emergency surgical procedure so Anna can access her medications again

• Time off work for me, her full-time caregiver, so I can help her recover safely

• And most importantly… a chance for Anna to live without constant pain

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Why This Matters

Anna is terminally ill — but she still deserves to live.

She deserves time outside of a hospital room. She deserves a chance to heal. She deserves to feel joy, love, and licks for her favorite pups while she’s still here with us. Right now, just being able to get through one day without pain would be a miracle.

We originally started dreaming about a bucket list… maybe a road trip, maybe a hot air balloon ride - But right now, our only wish is to get her out of the hospital — alive, and with dignity.

I’ve done everything in my power to get her help — I’ve fought insurance, coordinated doctors, stayed by her side in the hospital night after night (3 weeks and counting) But our resources are running out.

And so I’m asking — if you’ve ever loved someone so much that you’d do anything to take their pain away, please help me do that for Anna.

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Every Dollar Counts

Whether it’s $5 or $500, every single donation goes directly toward giving Anna a fighting chance. We’re racing against the clock, and any support you can offer — truly means the world.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this, for caring, and for standing beside us. Let’s help Anna heal. Let’s show her she’s not alone. Please share this with anyone who would move mountains to save the person they love most. ♥️

With so much love,

Sam & Anna