We are raising money for my mom, Marilyn Kaiser. She has been a diabetes warrior for over 28 years and despite doing all we could to prevent complications, she recently required a below-the-knee amputation of her right leg. Along this journey, she has had many of her toes amputated, and yet she still worked not just full-time but often overtime as a nurse. She did finally have to retire due to her health.

For nearly 2 years, we have been going to wound care, fighting wounds on her feet. We had hoped and prayed that we would never have to cross this bridge. She has spent over 2 months in the hospital fighting infections and going through surgery in an attempt to save the leg. The extended stay in the hospital has had bills piling up, and now we are faced with adapting her home to accommodate her new situation. She lives in a split-level foyer that is on a hill and situated a good amount back from the road. We’ve had people come and look at it, and the cost of the ramp is going to be very high. In addition, we need to put in a chair lift to get her up her stairs and make changes to the bathroom for her safety.

She needs to be able to come home - she has always been a fighter but if she weren’t able to come home and were forced to live in a care facility, she wouldn’t choose to keep fighting. She spent her whole life dedicated to the care of others as a nurse, a mom, a grandparent, a great-grandparent, and a dear friend. She has always been there for others, and now we are trying to come together to give back to her. Many have stepped up to offer labor, but we need the materials. We’ve reached out to so many community-based programs, and none of them seem to be able to provide anything more than the labor. Any amount that you can donate will help us get one step closer to bringing her home.