Support Violet in her Fight Against Autoimmune Disease!

Lemme tell you about my best friend and comadre, Violet. She’s a badass. She has a heart of gold. She’s a single mother, a loving cat caretaker, a social worker, and an incredibly compassionate and devoted friend to those who are blessed to be in her orb. She’s also a survivor, a silly lady, a marathon runner, and an avid fan of grabbing tacos and binge watching a good show. After working extremely hard to maintain and achieve her sobriety, Violet graduated with her Master’s in Social Work so she can advocate and support communities in their healing while living through capitalism and systemic oppression.

Another thing I want to tell you about Violet is that she’s facing an overwhelming health crisis. She noticed increasing joint pain recently and chalked it up to “getting older.” In mid April, she took herself to the ER when she realized she physically couldn’t lift her coffee cup or safely walk down the stairs of her apartment building without her knees buckling. She felt her body giving out on her. After a battery of blood tests, she’s been diagnosed with a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis; an autoimmune disease that can surely worsen if not treated promptly.

In addition to dealing with daily extreme pain and swelling in her joints, she’s also navigating how to maintain an income (she’s a new employee at the nonprofit where she works as a therapist), juggling health appointments, caring for her teenage daughter, and deciding which path of treatment to take to bring her back to wellness. The type of RA she has also causes considerable brain fog which is frustrating and draining for her. It’s a lot. It’s not fair that hard and painful things befall such good people. But they do. And she/we need your help and prayers.

The medication regiment suggested by her rheumatologist (a doctor who specializes in autoimmune diseases) may have a very intense and unpleasant effect on her body as it simultaneously slows down the progression of the arthritis. Violet, being the chingona that she is; has taken this on with her head high. Violet is looking to supplement the western medicine covered by her insurance with other healing modalities such as functional medicine, homeopathy, herbs, and traditional Chinese medicine. As all of us who have veered off the conventional healing path know these appointments and services can cost a lot. How sad that we live in a culture that you have to be financially robust in order to receive thorough medical care. But we do.

We are asking for your financial help for this courageous and deserving woman. We know she can tackle this aggressive disease with love, prayers, humor, nourishing foods, gifted practitioners, and your help in bolstering her piggy bank. A happy wellness piggy bank! Oink oink!

All funds that you give will go directly towards her medical fees, nutritional support for her and her daughter Miya Rose, and cover some loss of wages she may experience from not being able to work due to her health state.

Thank you all for reading and I ask you to join me in collectively enshroud her in healing light. We all know this girl wants to get back to running trails again. And she will!!