A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting my great friend, Heather Corinna, in celebration of our 20th anniversary of meeting at a friend's wedding back in 2005. It’s true, we’re both sentimental suckers for respecting a crucial milestone.

In those twenty years of friendship, I have had the honor of a first row seat in witnessing their spirit of service, education, and inspiration. As the son of impassioned public school teachers, this is something I was raised to recognize, respect, and support.

You may already be in celebration of Heather’s work in advocacy for young people, as I am. You may also be familiar with Heather’s ongoing challenges regarding their own health. Unfortunately, this year has presented new challenges for them on multiple fronts, and my great hope is that the same sense of community that they have cultivated for over three decades may come around to support them as they strive to continue their work and (let’s please not forget) live a life just a little less burdened by regular physical pain.

Simply put, Heather needs help paying for oral surgery that will ease that pain, preserving their jaw so they have it for the rest of their life. And I mean, shouldn’t we all get to have a freaking jaw?

Heather’s oral surgery involves at least two, and potentially three or even four phases. If it must be four, it will involve extractions, implants and potentially even some orthodontia. If Heather can get away with and/or can only afford the first two phases, those will cost close to $10K (based on the estimate for the surgery, $9069.00 — and expenses Heather has already paid for dental work on this and consults so far). We are looking to raise at least as much of that 10K as possible for Heather.

If you want the granular, gory details: from when Heather was about 14 until almost 20 years later, they had to go without dental care due to poverty sparing a complicated removal of impacted wisdom teeth in 1990. A couple broken molars had to be removed over the years under dubious circumstances, including one $50 extraction without any novocaine in the mid-1990s.

As a result of that combo of No Dental, Bad Dental, and Good-Old-Fashioned Getting Old, one of Heather’s last molars has to come out, even after a root canal and crown for it five years ago. Because it is one of the last remaining, and because the right things weren’t done with other extractions, Heather will need bone grafting and an implant to keep their mouth and jaw from eventually falling apart. The extraction and initial bone grafting is scheduled for April 8th (possibly before you’ve read this), and the implant surgery will need to take place 4-5 months later.

Heather has worked in grassroots service all their life, came into adulthood in poverty and often had to financially support a parent. They don’t own things like a house or a car, they don’t have insurance that will pay for any of this, and they have only a very meager savings. They simply don’t have the means to pay for this surgery without help.

I continue to be amazed by Heather’s work in helping others. I am asking for your help in supporting them through this difficult procedure, so they may continue to lead the way in fostering support among the communities who need it most.