Help Support Tara’s Life Saving Treatment in India

Hello,

My name is Teresa. I am appealing to you to help send my sister, Tara, for life-saving treatment at the Healing Hands Clinic in Pune, India. Tara has been battling a life-altering and threatening illness since having an emergency colectomy surgery related to Crohn’s disease in 2020 (removal of her entire colon).

Tara was first diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2013; since her first surgery she has been in and out of the hospital for months at a time; she has had countless infections, invasive procedures and more surgeries, the last one in 2023 which led to the development of several post-surgical fistulas. As a result of the fistulas Tara has been living in the hospital for going on 18 months with no end in sight. Tara is unable to eat or drink enough on her own, so she is dependent on IV nutrition and requires around-the-clock care, provided by her tireless hospital team and family.

Her daily life is riddled with severe physical pain – the fistulas are the main source of her very complex condition. 3 of the 5 fistulas are open wounds on her abdomen that continuously empty all the contents of her stomach into bags that are worn on her skin. There is no rest from this horrific ordeal, her skin has third-degree burns from the acidic fluid contacting her skin; Tara requires bag changes and wound care sometimes up to 20 times a day and through the night, the process is excruciating. She has two more fistulas on her bladder and rectum that have left an open gate for bacteria to move through her body causing continuous infections that she has to fight off regularly. This has left Tara exhausted and malnourished– she currently weighs 85lbs and most days does not have the energy or physical strength to do even the most basic tasks, anything she is set on doing takes a Herculean effort. I truly believe that it’s only because of Tara’s sheer will to live and her unbreakable spirit that she is still here, fighting every day.

Tara’s life has been upended by her illness; her quality of life has been severely diminished. When Tara can, her family brings her home for the day to care for her mental and emotional health and to allow family and friends to visit in a calmer environment but only when Tara feels up for it, these days are becoming fewer and fewer.

Together as a family, we take care of Tara. I stopped working almost 2 years ago and moved into our family home to care for Tara full-time as her primary caregiver, healthcare advocate, legal medical guardian and, most importantly, her big sister. We refuse to give up. Along with her dedicated healthcare team, we have been searching for solutions.

Although we have the utmost respect and gratitude for Tara’s physicians and nurses, unfortunately, at this moment we've exhausted all efforts and the prospects in Canada and the US are not very promising or timely. Tara's health will only get worse the longer she stays in this condition. We urgently need to take drastic measures.

We have been praying for an alternative, and that’s where the Healing Hands Clinic comes in – serendipitously, we were recently connected to the hospital, learning of another Canadian woman who travelled there for successful treatment of her fistulas. The clinic uses cutting-edge laser technology, specifically for fistulas, that is not available in Canada. This is the most hopeful news we’ve had in a long time and Tara feels strongly that she wants to try to make the long journey – Tara is amazingly in tune with her body and mind, and we trust Tara’s instincts 100%. We want to allow her autonomy over her own body and the opportunity to take this step towards a chance at healing and regaining a beautiful and healthy life.

Although this illness has cast a shadow on Tara’s daily life, she is still the vibrant, extremely caring and giving woman she’s always been. A small business owner, a loyal friend, a loving daughter, granddaughter and sister – Tara is the person you call when you need a friend, no questions asked. She has always looked out for people less fortunate and made a point of giving back to her community. Tara is known in the hospital for her generosity of spirit, taking time to chat with patients who have no visitors, bringing clothing and food to those with limited resources all the while never complaining about her situation, only showing gratitude and compassion. Tara is humbled to be in the position of reaching out for help, not something she normally does, she IS the giver. But she has allowed herself to be vulnerable and open to receiving all of the love and support she so greatly deserves.

The doctors in Pune are aware of the seriousness of Tara’s case and have agreed to take her as soon as the middle of August. The treatment will require travel to Pune India for an extended stay. Given the complexity and severity of Tara’s condition, they have estimated approximately 6 months. It's vital we get Tara to the clinic ASAP, so we are acting swiftly to prepare for the upcoming journey.

Below I’ve outlined our fundraising goal and how the funds will be allocated for each step of her continued care. We won't know exactly how long we will be gone or how many procedures Tara will need until we meet with the surgeon in India which is why we are raising funds to help with any unforeseen or exorbitant costs.

On behalf of Tara, our family and dear friends we want to thank you for taking the time to listen to Tara’s story. During these dark days, we’ve often asked ourselves, why? And the answer is always, why not? We know that countless people around the world are suffering and in need of support, so we truly have immense love and gratitude for any way that you can contribute. Whether that be a monetary donation, sharing this post (please share, share share!) or with your positive energy, prayers and well wishes – we are grateful for all of it!

We strongly believe in the power of collective positive intention and the goodness of the human spirit. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

T&T

Fundraising Goal: $100K (CAD dollars)

Estimated Overall Costs: $200K + (US dollars)

What Funds Raised Will Be Used For:

We are aiming to raise $100K to help with the costs of sending Tara to the Healing Hands Clinic in Pune, India. The breakdown of expenses is for Tara and a companion (her sister Teresa).

Travel - airfare (multi), ground transport and other travel-related expenses

($25 - 30K)

Accommodations and living expenses for up to 6 months in India

($40 - 60K)

Cost of lifesaving treatment at Healing Hands Clinic ($50 - $100K + USD)

How You Can Help:

SPREAD THE WORD! - Share this GoFundMe link to all of your social media channels. Tell people about it!

Donate what you can – any amount helps!

Air Miles - consider sharing Air Miles

Info/Connections - Let us know if you've travelled to Pune and have any contacts

Surround Tara with positive energy!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!