Hi everyone, my name is Cristina and I’m asking for help during one of the most difficult periods of my life.

In February, I was diagnosed with a severe pulmonary embolism. I found out I have seven blood clots in my lungs. I spent a week in the hospital receiving blood thinners injections and intensive treatment. It was a frightening and life-changing experience.

After further investigations, I was also diagnosed with hereditary thrombosis, a condition that increases my risk of developing blood clots. This means my recovery is more complicated and long-term. I am currently on ongoing treatment, including blood thinners and multiple daily medications and my doctors have told me that it could take up to a year to recover properly.

Right now, even simple activities like walking or standing for more than a few minutes leave me breathless and exhausted.

Before all of this, I worked for many years in customer service, retail, and as a barista, jobs that required me to be on my feet all day. Unfortunately, due to my condition, I can no longer continue this type of work. At the moment, I am unemployed as I was made redundant in October and as of now, I’m not physically able to return to my previous kind of jobs.

I had originally returned back home from London temporarily, planning to go back and rebuild my life there. But my health situation has completely changed those plans.

On top of my physical health, I have also been struggling with my mental health for some time, dealing with anxiety and depression. Since my diagnosis, this has become much more difficult to manage. The stress of my condition, combined with financial uncertainty, has made things feel overwhelming. Sadly, because of my current situation, I can no longer afford therapy, which has been an important source of support for me.

Financially, I am in a very difficult position. I am currently struggling to cover medical treatments and medications, doctor consultations, health insurance and basic living expenses.

I have also had to borrow money to afford essential medical care and I am trying to repay those debts.

At the same time, I am trying to rebuild my future by looking into new career paths that would allow me to work in a seated role. However, this transition will take time, especially while I am still recovering.

That’s why I’m asking for your help.

Any donation, no matter how small, would help me cover my medical costs, daily living expenses and give me the stability I need to focus on healing both physically and mentally.

If you’re not able to donate, sharing this page would mean just as much.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for any support you can offer. It truly means more than I can express.