Help My Daughter Help Others

Hi, my name is LaSonia Anderson, and I have started a GoFundMe account on behalf of my eldest daughter, Caree Thomas. Caree was born with a congenital heart defect and has had several open-heart surgeries and most recently has undergone two surgeries for a pacemaker implant and correction. I have raised her to believe she can accomplish anything; she was told she could not participate in any strenuous physical activities, Caree went and sought medical approval to be a cheerleader and became a dancer/stepper in high school. Caree was asked to attend college online or closer to home but she chose to attend University of Wisconsin Whitewater as a compromise (an hour away from me and her physicians). During this time, Caree was also diagnosed with two disorders that caused her to need a neurologist; one of which causes severe migraines with auroras and the other causes inflammation of a nerve in the left side of her face (trigeminal neuroglia), as well as a mental illness.  She learned that she is not her mental health condition, instead it is simply one part of her!  A part she must take care of and follow her treatment plan in order for her to be and do her best, which she does. She continues to see and seek advice from all the many physicians that make up her various health teams. Caree completed her degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders against so many odds in December of 2015. Due to her health, Caree would often miss classes, which resulted in her professors lowering her grades but she was still able to maintain a low 3.0 average (only in America can you know more about the materials than most of your peers and receive a lower grade with a medical excuse). This negatively impacted Caree’s goal to be a Speech and Language Pathologist because her GPA fail below what is expected for admittance into the master’s program for this area.  When I say this broke my baby’s spirit, it is an understatement!  I firmly believe that when God closes one door he opens another.  So, after some tears and thoughts, Caree decided to become a special education teacher, which was no surprise to me due to her having volunteered at MPS’s Clarke Street School for five years, after her surgeries and when on breaks from college.  If you are most Americans, you may have taken out student loans while in college, Caree is no different.  She followed the right steps and put them in forbearance until she could begin working in a field of her choice.  Caree had an interview to become a Milwaukee Public School Special Education Teacher recently and she was offered the position which is contingent on her enrolling/attending a Master’s program and having an expected date for the Praxis exam.  Caree did all those things and she was scheduled to start class today (June 13th, 2017) and take proof to MPS.  However, a company called Williams and Fudge who she apparently owes a little over $5000.00 to for a Perkins Federal Loan, which was not included in her forbearance, put a stop to that!  Caree attempted to make a payment arrangement with them and told them ultimately, they want the same thing for her to obtain employment for her to be able to pay them back.  The gentleman was rude and told her she wouldn’t be getting into any Master’s program!  This young lady has her stuff together and had she seen a letter from this company she would have addressed it previously.  This company reported they are not required to send a letter, they only have to speak to her verbally, which they did for the first time several days ago.  They do not offer income based repayments plans, nor are they willing to receive partial payment to allow her to start her program. Williams and Fudge stated their goal is to keep Caree from any other degree program until they are paid in full. They pressured her into trying to consolidate her loan with any loan company (she chose FedLoans), but were sure to hide the fact that that consolidation would remove her from eligibility for FASFA. When Caree talked to them about her financial aid being removed, they told her they knew consolidation would prevent her entry into her master’s program but she shouldn’t be upset because she should not have been allowed to apply for financial aid in the first place. She called several Student Loan Servicing companies, the US Department of Education and Legal Action, neither had recalled hearing of this company, although they have blocked Caree from attending school and obtaining her official transcripts due to her owing the consolidated loan amount of $8000.00 (The initial amount plus the loans she consolidated with and all their interest). We are asking for more than the original loan amount due to the additional loans and each loan acquiring interest as we try to fundraise. My daughter needs help raising the money so that she can start the school year on time and provide the required documentation to her potential employer.  This young lady has a high pain tolerance and she is frequently in pain and never complains.  She has been through so much, some I have shared with you and some due to her privacy, I can’t.  Our faith has been tested; how can one person go through so much!  Yesterday, she wanted to give up, which is not what I have taught her.  While her god mother and I spoke to her she explained, “I don’t want to be on SSI!  I want to work; I want to have my own home. I want to travel and every time I get close, something gets in my way!”  Please help me, help her to achieve her dream. 

 

Thank you in advance for anyone who helps her. All donations will be forever appreciated!!!