Help Bring Sue Home to the UK
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Jodi Gardner- if you’re seeing this, chances are you already know me. I’m reaching out for support to help bring my lovely mum, Sue, back home to the UK to be near her family after a series of devastating physical and mental health events.
My mum and dad have lived in Los Angeles for 35 years. In recent years, they've lost almosts all of their close friends and social circle, and Mum has already expressed her desire to move closer to her loved ones in the UK and Berlin for some years now. Unfortunately, it never happened- now it has to.
A few months ago, following a medication change, my mum’s anxiety and physical health drastically worsened. She was placed on a large dose of Valium, leaving her almost always asleep, unable to open her eyes or speak clearly. Her eating dropped to almost nothing. A few weeks ago mum fell in the shower. An MRI showed a possible stroke or “something else.” We still now have no clear answers, just ever more fear and confusion. Since then, without going into more personal detail, when we thought things couldn't get any worse, they did.
My mum is overwhelmed by physical pain, mental turmoil, isolation, and hopelessness. She remains in the hospital and we can only wait to find out what sort of a recovery she will make. What we do already know is that we can't let life for her go unchanged; she’s made it heartbreakingly clear that she cannot continue living this way. Change must come, and it must come right now.
It’s time to get her home.
We are working to relocate my parents to Alnwick- a peaceful, beautiful castle town in Northumberland (North East England) near her beloved sister, my Auntie Carol. It’s a town between the sea, the moors, forests and national parks and is full of warm people. It’s less than an hour to the nearest airport, allowing me and my family to visit her as often as we like from our home here in Berlin. We have a second chance that a lot of people never get, we have to give mum the new start that will wrap her up in love, life and grandbabies.
What Your Donation Will Help With:
- Urgent travel: I’m flying to LA this week to be with Mum and support my dad.
- Second trip: I’ll return later, around mid July, with my dear friend Sally to help with logistics.
- Before Relocation: With my mum unable to work, we have to find a way to cover my parents rent and living costs in LA for the next 2-3 months, until plans are firmly in place and my mum is fit to travel.
- On-the-ground support: Sally will stay in California for several weeks, packing, organising paperwork, selling belongings, and preparing Mum’s journey. She’s coming on a tourist visa and won’t be able to work, so we’ll support her living expenses.
- Medical and relocation: We’re exploring help from UK services, but Mum may need special medical transport and we can't rely on funding that hasn’t been approved.
- New home setup: It looks like we may need to help cover rent and essentials to for a while until UK benefits are arranged.
- Financial cleanup: My dad wants to face his debts before leaving. We’re looking into debt consolidation, but time is running out.
- Lost wages and living costs: Myself and my husband Max are self employed. The earnings we will collectively lose to unpaid care work, travel, expenses associated with living across separated households and continents is terrifying in itself. Myself and Max have 2 wild and wonderful kids and 2 sweet dogs to support and of course the budget is stretched to it's limit every month. Sally is also a freelancer and will need to find a new home and re-establish regular income when she is back in Berlin.
We know this is a lot, it’s overwhelming. We don’t expect to cover it all through donations, it’s a crazy amount of money, but every contribution helps. Even covering the cost of a coffee to prepare for a day of packing and moving makes such a difference in these dark times.
My mum Sue is the kindest, gentlest soul. She has spent her life helping others. Now, we need to give her the love and peace she deserves. She may be unable to speak for herself at the moment, but she’s told us in the loudest possible way that the time for big change is right now. If you are in the position to support us financially, thank you from deeper than the bottom of my heart. Thank you from the soles of my tired feet. If what you can offer is love, hope, or a share of this campaign- we thank you just as deeply.
With all my love and gratitude, always,
Jodi
(& Max, River, Rose, our old girl Luna and puppy Dalia)
Organizer and beneficiary
Jodi Gardner
Organizer
Berlin, Berlin
Jodi Gardner
Beneficiary