As you may know, my dear friend Joan was diagnosed last year with Chiari malformation, a congenital problem that causes pressure on parts of the brain and spinal cord. (You can learn more about Chiari here ). Because of severe and worsening symptoms, Joan will be undergoing brain surgery on July 26th. Your generous donations to this fund will allow her husband, Joe, to take needed time off of work to care for her and their four young children during Joan’s recovery, which is expected to take 4 - 6 weeks. Thank you in advance for helping care for this precious family during their time of need.