My name is Michelle Shortridge, and I am asking for friends, family, and strangers to help my friend Mavis Moore during her upcoming surgery and recovery.

Mavis was in a car accident in November of last year, resulting in damage to her neck, including a broken bone which still has not fused together. Her car was totaled in that accident. Over the past 11 months, she has had physical therapy and numerous injections in her neck, all of which have failed to give her any relief from her pain. In fact, her pain continues to grow. She now has pain in her neck continually radiating not just down her back but all the way to her knees and, more recently, down her arms as well. About 2 weeks ago, while waiting for a surgery date, she was driving on the highway and witnessed some kids push a rock, an exceptionally large rock, off a bridge. It struck the windshield of the car in front of her and then tumbled under Mavis’s car, putting a large hole in her transmission. That car had to be totaled out as well. She has managed to get a replacement car and is so thankful for how God provided for that.

Mavis makes her living as a self-employed driver. She drives her “kids,” as she calls them, who are mentally challenged, to school, work, or appointments. She loves them all! To hear her talk about them, you would think they really are her kids. She would do anything to serve and help them or just brighten their day if needed. She also drives a lot of college students and parents to and from the airport. She is known amongst the parents as honest and dependable.

Mavis is crazy, but the lovable crazy that is always trying to make people smile or see the bright side of their situation. She would rather talk to the lonely kid or special needs person in the room before everyone else. She is also crazy for tacos!

Mavis was just informed that her insurance finally approved her surgery, and she is scheduled to have Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) Surgery at C4-C7 on October 28th. This is a very major surgery! However, the surgeon’s office will not do her surgery unless she provides them with half of her $6,000 copay by October 24th.

She will be off work for no less than 10 weeks. Being self-employed, she will have no income the entire time she is recovering. With this account, we are hoping to provide for her the $3,000 for her surgery as well as 3 months of living expenses. Her rent, all utilities, and car insurance run about $1,400 a month, plus she will need food for herself and her dog, Boomer, who is her constant companion. She will also incur physical therapy and follow-up doctor appointments, which cost $50 each.

Please consider helping Mavis with a donation.

I will post updates along the way!

Remember, we need $3,000 by Oct. 24th so she can have the surgery.