Long before she was a medical professional, Kristina Southard was a caregiver. Exuberantly traveling the world, she developed a network of friends spanning the globe while immersing herself in the culture and lives around her. Wherever she is, she finds ways to become deeply involved and contribute to the community around her from volunteering to administering vaccinations to creating opportunities within her beloved sailing community to fundraising for Leukemia research. Her innate desire to connect and support has always made her a caregiver.

Her friends often say, “Kristina would walk through fire for any of us.” True. Like all of us, Kristina has had to walk through her personal fires, some campfires, some raging infernos. A two-time cancer survivor, some of her fires have been bigger than most - more on the raging inferno end of the spectrum than the campfire end. Kristina has faced these fires in life with determination, resilience, and an unshakable joy for life.

In early April, Kristina received the crushing news that she would need to walk through the Leukemia inferno yet again. Daunting for anyone, but especially so for one who has fought and survived twice. As her community rallies around her, we are realizing the depth of her needs for this fight. We ask for your help and support as we help our determined, resilient, vibrant friend walk through this fire again.

Her treatment and recovery will progress through different phases, the needs of which are still being determined. The focus of “Phase 1” is to address immediate needs:

$1,500 per month COBRA payments to maintain her health care coverage for the next year (totaling $18,000 for twelve months)

$4,000 per month for medications not covered by insurance ($24,000 for six months)

$2,000 per week for 24/7 transplant care for sixteen weeks ($32,000 for sixteen weeks)

$1000 for a laptop or tablet to communicate effectively with doctors and healthcare staff

Kristina is immensely grateful for any support you are able to give.