Hello, my name is Andrew, and I am raising money for my coworker and friend Maria Chomicka.

Maria is a dedicated, talented, outgoing, idea filled, and vibrant Church worker, who gives selflessly of herself for all those around her.

Maria suffers from endometriosis: a disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside the uterus in places where it doesn't belong.

With endometriosis, deposits of tissue that act just like the tissue lining the uterus develop outside the uterus. This tissue thickens, breaks down, and bleeds with each period. But the blood has no way to leave the body and becomes trapped. This leads to inflammation and scar tissue forming in the pelvic region and (sometimes) elsewhere in the body.

The most common symptom of endometriosis is chronic (and in Maria’s case, debilitating) pelvic pain. People with endometriosis can experience symptoms including but not limited to:

About two years ago, Maria had a laparoscopic excision (considered the gold standard treatment for endometriosis) done here in Buffalo to remove the tissue and relieve the symptoms. The surgery also included emergency removal of her appendix. The surgeon was nationally-renowned, but not specifically trained in removal of endometriosis. The surgery was deemed a success, but last August, Maria began to feel extreme abdominal pain again, and she ended up in the hospital. After receiving lackluster care, she went to another hospital days after being released, via an ambulance, after writhing on her hallway floor in near-fainting pain. She was finally told that it could have been a cyst that burst, not by any doctor at the hospital (who only dismissed her pain), but a week later by a specialist at a visit. This experience cost her over two weeks of work.

Maria then continued to do research herself and discovered that endometriosis has a tendency to grow back and be even worse than before. So she decided to get a second opinion at the Cleveland Clinic where she was informed by her now female doctor, that the original surgery very well could have caused her endometriosis to become worse. Becoming increasingly wary of the doctors in Buffalo, she decided to move forward with surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. This once again cost her at least two weeks of work.

Laparoscopic excision by an endometriosis specialist, which Maria had to go to Cleveland to find, is the best hope for relieving endometriosis pain. After petitioning her insurance provider to consider Cleveland Clinic to be in-network several times, she told that her out-of-network cost would be capped just on the occasion, and the surgery wasn’t considered in-network. Her doctors and specialists all sent in letters attesting to the fact that there is no expert in laparoscopic excision of endometriosis in-network; however her insurance did not approve her petitions or later appeal. A month ago, she had the surgery at Cleveland Clinic and the surgeon said that it was a rousing success. She excised (cut out) all suspicious lesions, caused by endometriosis or scar tissue from the first surgery, and freed up Maria’s organs that were fused together by scar tissue. However, the surgeon did say that she found what is likely adenomyosis in Maria’s uterus, and the only cure for that is removal of the uterus. At the age of 30, Maria decided that it wasn’t time for that to happen just yet. So proper treatment for that is now in place. This treatment, however only alleviates some pain, there is no complete cure for either endometriosis or adenomyosis.

Now, over a month after the surgery, bills have started to pile up. And even with doctor’s notes and petitions filed by board members, the surgery will not be covered.

Maria gives so much to her family, friends, and community. All while working in nonprofit church work. Now she needs help. I ask you kindly to consider donating to relieve some of the stress that now comes from this large medical debt that insurance should cover but refuses. Thank you.