<div>My name is Jess Vlaskic, and I’m reaching out with care and hope to ask for support for my dear friends, Nicole and Zach, and their young family.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On 29 September 2025, Nicole’s life — and the lives of those who love her — changed in an instant.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>What Happened
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>What began as a normal afternoon quickly turned into a medical emergency no family could ever prepare for.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nicole suddenly became light-headed and developed a severe migraine. Her condition rapidly deteriorated, and she collapsed at home and began having seizures.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Paramedics rushed Nicole to Albury Base Hospital, where a CT scan revealed a massive brain bleed. Doctors immediately advised that her condition was critical and that she may not survive the flight to Melbourne.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Within just 90 minutes, Nicole was airlifted to Melbourne for emergency treatment.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Emergency Treatment &amp; Major Brain Surgery
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nicole was taken straight into surgery at The Alfred Hospital, where doctors worked urgently to relieve swelling and stabilise her condition. She spent:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Three weeks in ICU
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Two and a half weeks in a medically induced coma
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Time on a breathing tube
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Underwent multiple critical procedures to stabilise her condition
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Doctors discovered the cause was a ruptured arteriovenous malformation (AVM) — a condition Nicole was born with but had no idea existed.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On 5 November 2025, Nicole underwent an extraordinary 20-hour brain surgery to remove the AVM — described by surgeons as one of the largest they had seen. The surgery was successful but carried an extremely high risk, and her recovery was uncertain.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nicole’s Recovery So Far
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>After months in hospital and inpatient rehabilitation, Nicole has reached an important milestone.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On 8 January 2026, Nicole returned home for the first time since her injury.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>While this was a huge step forward, Nicole’s recovery is ongoing and will take time.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>She is currently:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Unable to work
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Unable to drive
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Managing mobility and strength issues on her right side
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Living with ongoing fatigue and cognitive challenges
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Attending regular physiotherapy, speech therapy, neurology appointments, GP visits, and specialist care
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Recovery is expected to take many months, requiring ongoing treatment and support.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The Impact on Their Family
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nicole and Zach are raising two beautiful young children:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Aisha (4 years)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Bryson (1 year)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Zach has been supporting Nicole throughout her recovery while also caring for their children. While his employer has been understanding, the reality is that:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nicole cannot return to work
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>She cannot drive to appointments
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Childcare is essential so she can attend rehabilitation
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Medical, transport, and household costs continue to accumulate
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>These pressures are ongoing and unavoidable.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Why This Fundraiser Matters
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nicole and Zach did not ask for this fundraiser.
</div>
<div>It has been created on their behalf to help ease the financial strain during an incredibly difficult chapter of their lives.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Funds raised will help with:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Rent and household bills
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Childcare costs
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Transport to medical and therapy appointments
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Ongoing rehabilitation and specialist care
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Day-to-day living expenses while Nicole focuses on recovery
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Every contribution — no matter the size — makes a genuine difference.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nicole is strong.
</div>
<div>She is determined.
</div>

Karina Whatley

Julie Bowater

Sarah Booby

Andrew Gordon

Suzanne DiStefano

Lalitta Irvine

Mandy van Gastel

Anonymous

Paige Bester

Donna Duncan

Taylah Richardson

Samantha Hickey

Sharron Earsman

Cameron Findlay

Bryan Staley

Vinny Phounsavan

Mim Armstrong

Rachel Skahill

Kade Hunter

Help Nicole Recover After a Life-Threatening Brain Injury

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

Eligible for Profile Share Badge

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

NPO recommendations prod

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

isEligibleForProfileBadge

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

categoryGroup

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.3.0 and above

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

NPO upsell animals category

NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Help Nicole Recover After a Life-Threatening Brain Injury

Still $1,820 to go. Help us build momentum.