Please help support our friend, healer, and trainer - Jo McLaughlin - in her time of need.

On September 22nd, our dear friend’s life took a turn for the worse when she had a very serious fall. Unfortunately, Jo, who has always been her own rock and ours, won’t be able to work until she recovers from the grave injuries she sustained from her fall.

Jo has always been a wonderful, giving, and caring friend and part of the Cambria community. Now, we have a chance to show her how much we appreciate everything she’s done for us. Your financial support will serve to help Jo feel more secure as she gets through this long recovery and the challenges of dealing with all the unknowns.

What happened...

On a chilly Monday evening, September 22nd, Jo had a serious fall while alone outside her home, in which she gravely injured her left leg, from ankle to hip. Without her phone nearby and while enduring unimaginable pain, she used her upper body to drag herself up the porch stairs, through her gate, and back into her home, where she called a friend for help.

The fall left her with shattered bones in her left leg, including her kneecap and tibia, and required extensive, reconstructive surgery using cadaver bones. The complex surgical procedure took place on Wednesday, September 24th.

Unfortunately, it took many days to find the right combination of pain meds to help manage her pain, which still remains at Level 7-8 to this day. Making her recovery even more difficult are blood pressure fluctuations and the inability to tolerate hospital food, leading to weight loss and difficulty keeping pain meds down. She is not expected to be weight-bearing for at least 6 months.

On October 3rd, after many ups and downs in the hospital, she was transferred to Acute Rehab in Arroyo Grande. She needed to remain there until she achieved a level of strength and functioning that would allow her to be cared for in a home environment.

On October 15, she was released from Acute Rehab into the care of a close friend in Pismo Beach, who has a single-story home and the time to stay with Jo and provide the care she needs. At this point in time, Jo’s intention is to return to her home in Cambria in November, where she will continue to need a multitude of ongoing therapies.

The woman behind the crisis...

Jo is not just a patient - she is also a devoted friend, mother, trainer, and healer. Even in the hospital and rehab, she greets everyone with warmth, positivity, and gratitude, always asking about their lives first. She never utters the slightest complaint, in spite of her pain and the uncertainty that lies ahead for her.

The Financial Reality…

Jo is a single, self-employed professional who relies on her body for her business as a trainer and healer. Her ability to generate income will be dramatically affected until she can bear weight again, and that time is unknown. In true Jo style, she is doing everything she can to help herself. As an example, in spite of her pain, she has continued conducting online calls with coaching clients since her very first day in the hospital.

Jo has fixed expenses to maintain her studio lease and pay her home mortgage, and fears that she will lose either or both.

The medical bills have not yet begun to arrive; that will happen soon. Jo has been cost-conscious throughout, assuming she would have herself alone to rely on. For example, to avoid the cost of an ambulance, she was splinted and taken to the emergency room by a friend on the night of the accident.

The co-pays for the hospital, the surgery, and the acute rehab care are likely to be extensive. Additionally, she will continue to need many ongoing therapies to fully recover.

Jo is one of the strongest, most resilient people I’ve ever known. She has been nothing short of a warrior as she faced the reality of her accident. Your contribution will help Jo address her most urgent financial needs and provide her with much-needed peace of mind as she recovers.