Hi everyone, my name is Mary. I am reaching out to you with a heavy heart and a hopeful spirit to seek support for my mother, Ofelia Bartolay. She is 77 years old. 

 My parents, who lived in the Philippines, traveled to Canada to attend their granddaughter’s graduation. Unfortunately, she contracted shingles, also known as herpes zoster, which has affected her from the waist, buttocks, legs, and feet. This caused excruciating pain in sitting and lying down. They had to extend their stay because she is not fit for travel, and the insurance has expired. Unfortunately, the situation elevated when she suddenly suffered a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)/focal seizure, dyslipidemia, and other diagnoses that prompted emergency care. She was able to recover at the ER, but now she feels tremendous pain in her legs and cannot move them. A group of neurologists is looking at transverse myelitis as the possible cause based on MRI results and other lab tests. Healing could take weeks, months, or even years, but we know she is a fighter. 

 The hospital has been taking care of her well, and we are very grateful for all the medical staff and facility, but since my mom is a non-resident, we need to pay for the full hospital bill, which is reaching CAD 100,000 in just two weeks of confinement. The bill is still accumulating, and my mom needs to recover before she can be 

discharged. 

My parents cannot travel back because my mom needs a medical clearance to board the plane, so all we can do now is pray and trust the medical staff, the medications, therapy, and others to heal our mom. Our family was supposed to celebrate our daughter’s academic milestone, but it has turned into an unexpected and complex situation. 

This overwhelming challenge has brought us to a crossroads, and we are turning to the power of the community for support. We've created this GoFundMe campaign—to seek your support, not just financially, but through your thoughts, prayers, and positive energy, to help us overcome this ordeal. The funds raised will be used to cover the mounting medical expenses, ongoing treatments, and any additional support that my mom, Ofelia, may require on her path to recovery. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference in her path to recovery. We understand that times are tough for many, and we appreciate any form of support you can offer, be it a donation, a kind word, or simply sharing this campaign with your network. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for considering how you can be a part of Ofelia's healing journey. Your kindness and generosity are the beacons of hope that guide us through this difficult time.