Help Charlotte Fight CRPS's Relentless Pain

A twisted ankle on the playground turned into something unimaginable—24/7 relentless pain. Charlotte has been battling Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) since she was just 9 years old. Listed on the McGill Pain Scale as the most painful condition—ranking above unmedicated childbirth and kidney stones—CRPS has taken so much from her childhood.

Her pain is excruciating and constant. In her own words:

"It feels like my leg is on fire, being stabbed and twisted.”

Thanks to the incredible team at UW Children’s Hospital in Madison, Charlotte found relief in 2019. By 2020, with remission in her arm, she was finally able to start horseback riding lessons, something she had dreamed of for so long. Over the past four years, she has taken lessons, shown in several shows and has volunteered at the barn. Through this she has found joy, comfort, confidence, and purpose in caring for the horses.

But this fall, she relapsed and has been courageously fighting CRPS again in her leg. Since October, Charlotte hasn’t been able to go to the barn—one of the places she feels happiest and most free. CRPS has once again stolen the life she worked so hard to reclaim.

She was hospitalized for three weeks after Thanksgiving and has been doing outpatient therapy since her discharge. With the closing of the pain clinic at the children's hospital, and challenges with insurance, they have exhausted local medical options in Dane County. Her best hope is an outpatient treatment program specializing in pediatric CRPS, but the financial burden of medical expenses, lost wages, travel, and lodging is challenging. Every contribution, big or small, will help Charlotte access the care she urgently needs. Please donate or share this fundraiser. Your support means the world to Charlotte and her family.

Thank you for standing with Charlotte in this fight!