Help Support Mary Sanders's Post Stroke Recovery Fund

On Wednesday, July 10th, 2024 my mother Mary Sanders suffered an ischemic stroke caused by a blood clot that traveled to the right side of her brain. My mother is the matriarch of our family, she is the mother of 6 children, the grandmother to 16 grandchildren, and a friend to many.

While at work, my mother's team noticed her typing odd sentences and spelling words incorrectly. My mom was also aware that her speech and voice sounded "off" and her Supervisor rushed to her desk and quickly realized my mother was having a stroke. My mother's team and her supervisor laid her down and called 911. My family and I are very grateful for the collection's team over at Global Credit Union and their quick response to help our mother. My mother was admitted to the Banner Thunderbird Hospital in Glendale, Arizona, and has received excellent care from the staff, especially RN Krista who works in the ICU, and CNA Bee who works on the third floor. My mother’s family, friends, and coworkers have not left her side from the moment she entered the hospital.

Due to the stroke on the right side of my mother’s brain, she has experienced paralysis on the entire left side of her body (from her face to her legs). She is also having difficulty speaking and remembering dates, and times. Doctors feared she had a brain bleed due to her symptoms becoming worse over the two days following her stroke, thankfully she was cleared and did not have a brain bleed. However, sadly the doctors found that my mom is diabetic and hypertensive.

My mother has worked since she was 13 years old and has always been on the go to provide for her family. Her entire family lives in various cities in Southern California. My mother has worked at Global Credit Union (formerly Alaska Federal Credit Union) for over 14 years, in 2018 she was informed that her job position would be moving from Victorville, California to Glendale, Arizona. My mother had a tough decision since she would be 5 and a half hours away from her family, but she wanted to fully retire at Global Credit Union because she loved what she did for work and her team. My mother made sure to drive or fly back to California whenever she could afford it. She has always tried to make every birthday, holiday, graduation, and sports event for her children and grandchildren even if it meant that sometimes she had to fly or drive back to Arizona 24 hours later. My mother is the most caring, selfless, loving, and motivated person I have ever known. She would give anything for her family, especially her grandbabies.

Due to my mother suffering from a stroke, it has left my family with managing our mother's unexpected personal and foreseeable medical bills which has become a struggle. My mother’s insurance is only covering a percentage of her hospital as well as her rehab stay for Physical and Occupational therapy. Still, nurses and doctors have recommended at least two-three weeks of inpatient therapy. We cannot afford the equipment and additional inpatient or outpatient therapies my mother will need in the upcoming months. My mother was very independent before this incident and we hope to get her as close as possible to her original self, physically and mentally.

My family and I created this GoFundMe page to help support my mother’s long recovery. The funds donated will go directly towards my mother's bills, mental health therapy, transition from Arizona to California, speech therapy, loss of income, inpatient/outpatient therapy, home equipment, and any recommended medical treatments.

Thank you so much for wanting to learn a little about my mother’s story. My family is beyond grateful for any amount donated to support this next chapter in my mother’s life. Whether you can afford to donate or not, we ask that you please share this GoFundMe page with any social media outlets.

Again, thank you so much and I hope in the future my mom has the ability to update everyone on her progress!