Hi, my name is Annmarie, and I’m currently stranded abroad after a medical crisis while living in the Netherlands. Due to a chronic condition (MCAS) and unexpected financial hardship, I urgently need help returning to the United States to access proper care and rebuild my life. I’m raising $5,000 to cover travel, temporary housing, and basic living expenses so I can safely get home and start over.

Help Me Safely Return to the U.S. and Rebuild After a Medical Crisis Abroad: Even $20 and/or a share helps me get one step closer to getting home.

I never imagined I’d be in this position, but I am currently stranded abroad and running out of funds. I need help getting back to the United States so I can safely rebuild my life and regain my health.

Before moving abroad, I was living in Los Angeles, but due to my condition, the climate and air quality made it increasingly difficult to manage my health. Since October 2025, I’ve been living in The Hague in the Netherlands. I moved here because I have MCAS (mast cell activation syndrome), a chronic, multi-system condition that affects my immune and nervous systems. While I was managing in Los Angeles, the pollution, heat, and air quality made even simple things like walking outside extremely difficult without a lot of medication. My health insurance premiums were set to increase from $258/month to over $900/month, both with a $5000 deductible.

After extensive research, I chose the Netherlands for its milder climate and more affordable healthcare. Initially, everything seemed promising. I found a doctor, settled into life here, and felt hopeful.

Unfortunately, things began to unravel.

I started reacting to a supplement I rely on, only to discover the European version had a different formulation than what I used in the U.S. Replacing it required expensive international shipping and customs fees, and eventually, I could no longer access it at all. At the same time, I lost access to a critical prescription I had been receiving from Canada.

Without these, my health rapidly declined.

What followed was a frightening medical experience. Despite multiple visits to my local doctor, I was unable to get proper treatment or referrals. I experienced repeated episodes of MCAS-related anaphylaxis, dangerously high blood pressure, and heart symptoms. Emergency care here requires referrals, and I was denied ambulance transport and specialist care when I needed it most.

I was eventually able to access supplements from the U.S. again, and I am now improving—but I am still not stable, and my situation here is not sustainable.

At the same time, I lost my primary freelance client shortly after arriving, dropping my income from full-time to almost nothing. To make matters worse, my financial accounts were compromised in a data breach, and I am still dealing with the aftermath of fraud.

I came to the Netherlands with over $30,000 in savings. Between medical costs, lost shipments, and basic living expenses, I have now exhausted most of it—much of it spent simply trying to stay healthy.

I no longer have the financial ability to remain here or to relocate on my own.

I need help getting home.

Once back in the U.S., I plan to return to Western Washington, where I was the healthiest and where I already have established medical care. I plan to secure freelance work again, stay in temporary housing, and focus on stabilizing my health so I can fully rebuild.

Funds will go toward:

• One-way flight to the U.S.: $400 (I have miles for the transatlantic portion)

• Temporary housing (Airbnb): $3,600

• Basic living expenses: $1,000

Total Goal: $5,000

Asking for help is not easy for me, but I truly cannot do this alone. If you can donate—even a small amount—it would mean a great deal to me. And if you’re not able to give, sharing this with others would be an incredible help.

My goal is to return to the U.S. by the end of May and begin rebuilding my life and health.

Thank you so much for reading this, supporting me, and helping me get home. I am grateful for your help. Annmarie