On Monday, November 4th, 2024, Erin, a devoted single mom to her 15-year-old son Gavin, was having trouble breathing and was feeling quite light-headed. She was taken in an ambulance to the Swedish ER where she ended up staying for a week. During this time, the hospital ran many tests to find out what was going on with Erin's sudden shortness of breath. After many days of tests, they found that Erin was suffering from Aortic dissection type B. This did not require surgery at the time but many nights in the hospital to keep her for observation as her heart rate would not come down and the meds made her quite sick.

Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the inner layer of the aorta tears, allowing blood to flow between the layers of the aorta's wall.

Erin’s job at Queen Anne Café for the past 14 years is ending abruptly as the owner is selling the business in December, and she will no longer have a job to go back to, which will make it incredibly hard to pay rent every month as well as these huge medical bills for a week-long stay.

The road to recovery will be long and challenging as she is raising a growing teenage boy and paying rent in Seattle where her son attends the Center School very close to their apartment.

She is now home from the hospital and keeping her spirits up, but has a very long (and expensive) road to recovery ahead of her.

How You Can Help:

In the wake of this emergency, we are raising funds to support Erin and her son Gavin during this challenging time. Your donations will help cover medical expenses, rent, and other immediate needs as they rebuild their lives. Any contribution, no matter the size, will be a meaningful gift of compassion to a family facing an overwhelming medical emergency.