Hey Derby FAM this is Tay Q. Down former Windy City Roller. I’m reaching out to the derby community to ask for help for former WCR skater and my derby wife Legal Tenderizer (active with Aurora 88’s 2011-2012, Dupage 2012, WCR 2012-2017). Legal has been diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis) and she is 36 years old with a lot of fight in her!

Legal has been unable to work since June 7, 2023 due to her worsening MS. She had been on the most aggressive disease-modifying therapy as well as frequent steroids, but they could no longer keep the MS under control. Legal has ranged from needing no walking aid to needing a wheelchair and being unable to use her hands at times. The MS also completely shut down her digestive system — she had been struggling on liquids for over a year an a half and even with steroids, requires colonics because no medicine has worked for her neurogenic bowel. On top of her already limited diet due to allergies getting worse by the day. Piling on, Legal was hospitalized at the end of August through the beginning of September due to what seemed to be a heart attack/stroke combo where she lost more mobility; she temporarily lost full use of her right side, which required home health care (she could not dress herself or even use the bathroom on her own). Since June, she has incurred almost $33,000 in medical expenses that were not covered by insurance. As of right now Legal has no source of income coming in.

If you have questions about her situation or are not able help financially but want to try to help her out in another way (e.g. dropping off a grocery order, helping her with light housework or meal preparation — she is immunocompromised though, so you would have to mask up), please reach out to me, and I can check with Legal. You can also text/email Legal personally if you like, but she has been overwhelmed with finances and her health and may not be responsive or at least timely responsive.