Help Shāna Einhorn beat Autoimmune Encephalitis!
Donation protected
It takes courage and humility to be vulnerable enough to ask for help. And it took time for me to convince my good friend, Shāna Einhorn, the time is now. Shāna was diagnosed in early 2021 with Autoimmune Encephalitis- a rare brain disease. AE is the illness featured in the best-selling memoir-turned-into-docudrama, Brain on Fire, yet, do not be misled by its uplifting ending. Shāna’s experience has been very different. AE left her with cognitive deficits, altered mental health, and interferes with her ability to drive. She completed 6 months of intravenous treatment which was unsuccessful, so new treatment protocols are being explored. Shāna is a beautiful person who has dealt with many health crises in her life (cancer, other autoimmune illnesses, chronic pain), and it's been inspiring to witness her resiliency and drive to find beauty in every day. Her cancer journey of over a decade ago led Shāna to become a fine art photographer, and
she is an acclaimed one. You can visit her website at www.shanaphotography.com .
I am a nurse practitioner who has been walking with Shāna through many medical visits and procedures. Shāna lives alone and barely survives on disability payments which have been in place since her previous illnesses. I've seen the profound changes as her life gets smaller and smaller due to 'brain fog', difficulty thinking, pain in her brain, and the anxiety of negotiating complex chronic illnesses. On top of the AE, Shāna was just diagnosed with gastroparesis, a serious gastric motility disorder, leaving her with another condition requiring many life changes and specialists. And, sadly, disease has sidelined her art-making pursuits.
AE is a big beast. A severe brain disorder where the body’s immune system attacks healthy brain cells, it is not well-understood, is challenging to treat, and requires specialty care. The neurologist who diagnosed Shāna no longer practices, so she has to search for another AE neurologist. Thankfully, a neurologist who is a pioneer of AE, and is featured in the above-mentioned film, practices locally. Unfortunately, he does not take insurance. It costs over $1300 to walk in the door. There are no other AE specialists on LI. This appeal is to help Shāna to afford his services and a multitude of other much-needed medical and social supports, including ones to address the newly-diagnosed gastroparesis, as well as outstanding medical bills.
Even a small donation could help Mary Beth White reach the fundraising goal to benefit Shāna. Please know, except for a small fee taken by the GoFundMe platform, all of the money goes directly to Shāna. And if you can't make a donation, it would be great if you could share the fundraiser on your social networks to help spread the word.
Thank you for your support!
Here's a video of Shāna's cancer and art journey
https://youtu.be/owsZUoNDnUE
she is an acclaimed one. You can visit her website at www.shanaphotography.com .
I am a nurse practitioner who has been walking with Shāna through many medical visits and procedures. Shāna lives alone and barely survives on disability payments which have been in place since her previous illnesses. I've seen the profound changes as her life gets smaller and smaller due to 'brain fog', difficulty thinking, pain in her brain, and the anxiety of negotiating complex chronic illnesses. On top of the AE, Shāna was just diagnosed with gastroparesis, a serious gastric motility disorder, leaving her with another condition requiring many life changes and specialists. And, sadly, disease has sidelined her art-making pursuits.
AE is a big beast. A severe brain disorder where the body’s immune system attacks healthy brain cells, it is not well-understood, is challenging to treat, and requires specialty care. The neurologist who diagnosed Shāna no longer practices, so she has to search for another AE neurologist. Thankfully, a neurologist who is a pioneer of AE, and is featured in the above-mentioned film, practices locally. Unfortunately, he does not take insurance. It costs over $1300 to walk in the door. There are no other AE specialists on LI. This appeal is to help Shāna to afford his services and a multitude of other much-needed medical and social supports, including ones to address the newly-diagnosed gastroparesis, as well as outstanding medical bills.
Even a small donation could help Mary Beth White reach the fundraising goal to benefit Shāna. Please know, except for a small fee taken by the GoFundMe platform, all of the money goes directly to Shāna. And if you can't make a donation, it would be great if you could share the fundraiser on your social networks to help spread the word.
Thank you for your support!
Here's a video of Shāna's cancer and art journey
https://youtu.be/owsZUoNDnUE
Organizer and beneficiary
Mary Beth White
Organizer
Huntington Station, NY
Shana Einhorn
Beneficiary