Hi, I'm Cynthia. I've spent my whole adult life as the person who takes care of everything and everyone — so sitting here asking for help is one of the hardest things I've done. But I've reached a point where being honest is better than pretending I'm fine.

I have rheumatoid arthritis, an aggressive autoimmune disease that never takes a day off. It's already contributed to a heart attack. It's breaking my teeth, causing repeated headaches, and affecting my memory. Left unmanaged, RA does permanent damage to your joints and your body — so keeping up with treatment isn't optional, it's how I stay functioning and working.

I fought hard to get back on my main medication, and I'm on it now. But managing a disease like this is bigger than one prescription. To start, here's what I most need help covering:

• Supplemental medications I rely on — about $464/month (~$2,784 over six months)

• Two medical bills I'm paying down — about $2,616 combined

• Lab work and appointment co-pays — about $240

That first goal comes to roughly $5,650 — the essentials that keep my treatment going. I'm also carrying an older medical bill of about $3,000, and if we reach this goal, I'll extend the fundraiser to take that on next. I wanted to be upfront about the whole picture.

These costs have outpaced what I can manage on my own, even working full-time — chronic illness is expensive in a way that's hard to explain until you're living it.

Every dollar goes straight toward keeping my treatment going so I can stay healthy enough to keep working and keep moving forward.

If you're able to give, even a little, it genuinely matters. And if you're not in a position to — please consider forwarding this to even one person who might. That costs nothing and helps more than you'd ever guess.

Thank you for reading, and for any kindness you can send my way.

— Cynthia