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Eating Disorder IP Travel Fund

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Hi, my name is Victoria and I am Alex's identical twin sister. I am reaching out to everyone and anyone who is willing to help me fund my sister's travel expenses in order to seek treatment for her eating disorder in New York City. The past couple of months Alex has been filling out scholorships and grants in order to seek treatment because we are financially unstable. With her remarkable ambition and dedication to seek professional help she was graciously accepted to a research hospital in New York where she will go through intensive therapy and treatment in order to help her get better and to retrain her brain. She has already spoken with the doctor, clinician and receptionist on many occassions and they want her to fly in as soon as possible. Our main problem is that they will only cover her expenses for the treatment, not the travel. As her other half it would be extremely upsetting to let this amazing opportunity slip through our fingers just because we couldn't afford the travel fees. This isn't easy to ask but we are in need of some help. 

For those that are unaware of her situation, she has had an eating disorder for a little over two and a half years. For the past couple of years I have had to watch my twin sister slowly disappear, this has not been easy on my family or our friends. This hasn't been an easy subject to approach with her because everytime it was brought up she would push us away or change the subject. Its been especially hard on me because I have seen first-hand what this disease has caused her. She has fainted on many occassions and even seized on another. As of April 2014, just a week shy of graduating college with her BS in Speech Language Pathology, the school councilor got a hold of a doctor who specializes in Eating Disorders in Oklahoma. To her amazing dedication we were able to see the doctor and the doctor became extremely worried after seeing how underweight she was. After running some tests the doctor said Alex had a 12% higher rate of dying among other eating disorder patients because of her weakened heart. Since graduating and moving home her disorder hasn't gotten any better and with many prayers and nearly a year later she is finally going to get the help she so despartely needs.

As of this April it will be three years since she has become anorexic. This has not been an easy road for us but with everyones constant love and support she will recover. This disease does not define her and I have faith that she will conquer it. She recently told me that one of her motivations for recovery is to become a mother. She knows that with the way things are she may never be able to have children. She has also confined in me that she is doing this to keep herself alive because she does not want to leave her friends and family behind.

We are asking roughly for $1500 or more because plane tickets are not cheap especially when the doctor wants her there within the next 2-3 weeks. For many who don't know we would be traveling from Southern California to Manhattan, New York and the money would be covering her plane ticket and two additional adult tickets to escort her safely to the treatment facility. From the extensive interview process the doctor believes it would be best if she travels with family because she is a health risk. The money would also cover 3 days and 2 nights in a hotel and the costs of transportation within the city and the cost of food. Any contribution would be amazing and I thank you all in advance. 

All my love,

Victoria

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Donations 

  • Aubrey Van Tassell
    • $40 
    • 8 yrs
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Organizer

Alex De Fiore-Witter
Organizer
Orange, CA

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