Help Christina get into a new home.

I am reaching out to you on behalf of my friend Christina Thomas. I met her in Seattle in 2010. She had moved here from New York to start new chapter in her life. She had faced so much adversity; such as mental illness, childhood trauma, and homophobia, but she was ready to finally live. She was in nursing school and was close to finishing. However, at the age of 31 she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She suffered from paralysis and had to relearn how to eat and walk.

 

Another blow quickly followed, in 2011 she learned that she was in end stage renal failure. The doctors told her that she had 5 years to live. She faced an uncertain future filled with dialysis appointments and pain. She had gone from helping patients to being one. She had to move back to New York right away.

 

Christina turned to art to help her regain the dexterity in her hands and heal her inner pain. Despite the challenges she has flourished as an artist and has been featured on the cover of ArtTour International Magazine and has shown her work in galleries in the NYC area.

 

After years of uncertainty, she got the call that she was dreaming of. There was a kidney available for her in Philadelphia. She received that transplant on June 3, 2017 (she calls the kidney ‘Oscar’). As much as that was a miracle, it has come with difficulties too. She has suffered from bouts of sepsis and spent months in the hospital.

 

Christina has worked when she was able, teaching art to developmentally young adults, but the past decade has been difficult financially. Along with the health problems, she has not had familial support and has been forced to stay in homeless shelters. She needs a safe and secure place to start her future.

 

Today she is moving back to Philadelphia because it is her dream to live and work in the city that gave her a new life, a second chance, and freedom from a dialysis machine. She lives on Social Security Disability and food stamps. Being sick is very expensive and Christina lives with housing and food insecurity constantly.

 

We arrived at the $5,000 goal because the apartment that she would like to rent costs $2,700 to move in. She will be able to afford the rent once she gets in, but she needs this initial deposit.

The remainder is to help get her a good quality bed and necessities for the home. She has discomfort from her MS and a proper bed will help her immensely.

 

Christina has been my friend all these years. I have never seen such determination and grit in anyone. She keeps persevering when others would have given up. In all this time she has never asked for anything, but today I would like you to join me in helping her meet some emergency needs and medical expenses. Your donation would truly have an impact on her life. Together we can help her to have a safe home and begin her second act with "Oscar’. If you are unable to donate, please share with others and keep Christina in your heart and in your prayers.