URGENT Support Kali from Crohn's & life-threatening Sepsis

URGENT: Kali has been admitted to hospital for the fifth time this year on Sunday 15th Septmber 2024.

You may know Kali as the talented Trentham jeweller behind We of the Wild, creating jewellery to donate profits to support local wildlife; the dedicated single mother of Zhai, Scarlett and Phoenix; the passionate advocate for our native animals, and training in wildlife rescue.

What you might not know is that Kali has been hospitalised four times this year alone. The most recent admission was to the Ballarat ICU for a week with life-threatening sepsis, due to her weakened immunity, caused by Crohn’s disease.

Kali has been managing her illness quietly on her own for seven years now, paying for all of her treatments while often not being able to work for months on end.

Gastroenterologists in the public system have tried almost all medical treatments available for her condition over this time. Her case has been assessed as unique and particularly aggressive and she has not been in remission since her diagnosis in 2018. They are currently evaluating her options for surgical intervention.

Currently, Kali has escalated to the most debilitating stage of the disease – coupled with the long-term lethargy during her sepsis recovery – she is in a position of complete emotional and physical exhaustion. Largely confined to her home, she has had to “pause life”, unable to work, finalise her studies or perform what to most are the simplest of life’s tasks. Getting dressed in the morning, cooking and cleaning, or driving to pick up her children have become almost impossible and highly stressful tasks.

Kali has always been a high-energy person, placing her time, skills and strengths in helping and supporting others. She gives freely of herself to those around her in need, however she struggles to recognise when she herself needs assistance. It is only now, completely and utterly exhausted by the long-term battle with her disease, that she has realised her life is no longer independently manageable and she needs help and support from the broader community of which she has contributed to for most of her life.

The Goal:

The next 12 months are crucial to Kali managing a recovery, and we are setting a goal of $25,000 to assist with her living and medical expenses

What this covers:

Other ways that you can support Kali:

What Is Crohns & Sepsis?

Crohn's is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. This condition affects the lining of the digestive tract, causing such symptoms as intestinal bleeding, mouth ulceration, numerous infections, weight loss and chronic fatigue. Unfortunately, for people like Kali, the symptoms can be severe and persistent.

One of the most serious complications of Crohn's disease is weakened immunity, allowing minor bacteria or infections to develop into serious, life-threatening medical conditions such as sepsis, which Kali is currently being treated for. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to an infection, leading to a toxic response.

While there's no cure for Crohn's disease, it can be managed through medical treatments. Medications like steroids and immunosuppressants can help manage and slow the progression of the disease. In some cases, surgery is necessary. As Kali falls within the threshold of high risk, she will also need to receive regular screenings for colorectal cancer.

Kali is such a humble and kind hearted person and she has battled with this disease on her own for too long. She is always the first person to help someone else in need. Always putting her heart and mind toward supporting her friends and loved ones. But she can struggle receiving the same level of support in return. She has even struggled being okay with asking for help through this fundraising appeal. So we need to help her when it matters. And right now it matters more than ever.