Heyo! It's Gene-Leigh!

As you all know, I don't typically do GoFundMes. But this time is different, I am doing one for a dear, dear friend of mine - Kat Carrick. Some of you may know Kat; she's well-known in the Pittsburgh area for her activism in the LGBT community and from teaching at various universities around the area. She's served Planned Parenthood over the years and has handed out toys and donations to kids and families. Kat has taught hundreds of students, blessing us with her knowledge, across at least 3 states, and has taken in more folks than we can count. I am among those people. Along with being a student of Kat's at Chatham University, she stood in the gap when I found myself in a domestic violence situation. That support and care allowed me to get on my feet and find my voice.

Now Kat needs our help.

This past week, Kat had emergency surgery on her abdomen to correct a large hernia. While the surgery was successful, Kat is ineligible for health insurance (despite having 4 jobs) and does not meet the income requirements for Medicare. While Kat remains in recovery in the hospital, when she is discharged home, she will be unable to work for at least a month. This means that Kat will be without any reliable income to ensure that her mortgage, home bills, and incoming hospital bills will be paid.

I am asking for support for someone who has supported so many of us, and so many in our community for so many years. Any amount is helpful, and if you are unable to donate, please like and share for visibility!