Hi, I’m Kati Soleil I’ve had the privilege and honor of uplifting my communities and my mom Ronni did the same for the beautiful wild places of the US. Now, in this moment of hardship, I’m uncomfortably switching roles and I humbly asking for support to help maintain the stability of my mom and me during our journey here at home with my surgery and recovery and Mom’s dementia and the many pitfalls and lessons inherent in these transitions.

This past year has brought more hardship than I could ever have imagined for both my mother, Ronni, and me. In January I experienced a life-threatening illness that required multiple hospital stays and will conclude with one last surgery this October, followed by a five-week recovery. While I’m grateful to be healing, these nine months have been physically, emotionally, and financially devastating. In the same time, I lost my beloved dog after a painful illness, and my mom’s dementia reached a point where she could no longer safely live on her own. When we discovered that she had been targeted by scams that stripped away the nest egg she had faithfully saved to carry her through retirement, she came to live with me. At the height of this financial trauma, she also stopped paying her long-term care insurance premiums after over 20 years of faithful payments, causing the policy to lapse and leaving us with absolutely no buffer for her care. Caring for her is both a profound honor and the hardest challenge of my life.

At this time, I am her primary caregiver. Between rent and the cost of her daily needs and professional caregiving support, our expenses are nearly $5,600 a month—far beyond what I can manage, especially after so much time away from work due to my health. Though I am appealing to reinstate her long-term care insurance and applying for Medicaid, those processes are slow and uncertain. Until one of them comes through, we have no safety net. My aunt has been supporting us generously, and together we’ve stretched every dollar as far as possible, but our resources are almost gone.

Beyond being a daughter and caregiver, I am also a member of this community that I love so deeply. Through my healthcare work and my company, where I share the language of Sparkle to uplift others, I have always tried to bring light, care, and joy to those around me. The stress of these financial pressures, combined with the weight of caregiving, has made it increasingly difficult to show up fully for my clients, my friends, and even myself. I know how much stronger I am when I can care for myself as well as others, and with your support I can restore that balance—continuing to serve, to heal, and to bring the very best of myself back into the community that has given me so much.

My mom’s life has always been defined by her vivacity, her independence, and her deep love of the natural world. She spent decades exploring and protecting the public lands she cherished, always with her two dogs by her side. They went everywhere with her, part of every adventure. The contrast between that fiercely independent life and the limitations dementia has brought is heartbreaking. While it is impossible to recreate the life she once had, keeping her at home—where she can still enjoy the landscape, the companionship of her dogs, and the dignity of familiar rhythms—allows me to honor who she has been even as we navigate this painful transition. My goal is to keep her at home for as long as it is reasonably and safely feasible, so that the essence of her life—her freedom, her animals, and her joy in nature—can remain with her as long as possible.

I am asking for help raising $112,000, which will cover about 20 months of essential household and caregiving expenses. This support will allow me to continue caring for my mom safely while also recovering my own health. I am deeply grateful for your time, your generosity, and your love. Your support will carry us through this fragile moment and allow me to keep showing up for her with as much strength, compassion, and hope as possible.