My name is Stephanie, and I moved to the US from Mexico with my parents when I was 15. Now, at 22, I’ve been on my own for a while and caring for my 7 cats. Life here has been incredibly challenging. For the past 6 years, I’ve struggled with health issues and live with chronic pain that doctors couldn’t diagnose. Last year, I finally learned I have h-pylori. Even after treatment, my pain hasn’t improved, and it’s been exhausting trying to manage everything by myself.

Living paycheck to paycheck, I can’t afford the quality food or healthcare I need to get better. The processed food here makes it even harder to manage my health, and I miss the loving, supportive environment I grew up with in Mexico. I feel isolated, not just from my family and culture, but also from my language—Spanish is what I grew up speaking, and I long to feel at home again.

I want to return to Mexico with my cats, but I need help to make this possible. Your support will help cover travel expenses, help me find a place to live, and give me a little breathing room for the first month while I get settled. Any support you can give would mean the world to me and my cats as we start this new chapter. Thank you for reading and for caring about our journey.