PENNY'S FANGUARY FUNDRAISER

Hi lovelies! I'm Penny Blake and I'm a TTRPG writer, editor and sensitivity reader. You've probably seen me around the TTRPG space making comedy horror games, providing budget-friendly editing for small / indie creators or (my favourite pass time) interviewing, reviewing and generally trying to support small / indie TTRPG creators.

I'm really passionate about the work I do - but sadly I've hit a bit of a snag. You may have noticed that I'm around a lot less than I used to be. You may have also noticed that when I am around I have to use an oxygen machine for most of the day.

The reason for this is that I have a cluster of auto-immune conditions which are causing debilitating problems for me at the moment. My body doesn't absorb nutrients from the food I eat (iron, vitamins and other goodies), it doesn't replenish my red blood cells fast enough so there is not enough blood to carry oxygen to my heart and other organs, and it makes too many white blood cells which means I have a variety of other issues (for example my facial nerve collapsing for a while).

I have been on an NHS waiting list to fully diagnose and treat the underlying causes of the condition for over 5 years and have had appointments repeatedly cancelled. (The NHS are amazing - they are just underfunded and over burdened.)

While I wait, I need transfusions / infusions of blood / iron / vitamins every three months. The wait list for these is usually several weeks and currently has been several months. The current stance of the clinic is 'if you collapse, we'll give you a transfusion, otherwise you're not a priority.' I 100% understand this stance, it's because they are over burdened and under staffed, but meanwhile my body is slowly shutting down and life is becoming unmanageable.

The oxygen machine is a blessing and a game-changer; it has meant that although I still have a lot of symptoms, I could at least manage to keep working at my paid job, doing my regular voluntary work and socialising and caring for my four children.

But in the last few weeks, even with the oxygen, I can't even walk up and down stairs and soon I'll be unable to do much more than sleep as I wait for my next IV.

The oxygen machine is also expensive to run, difficult to carry around in the backpack and not a permanent solution because it doesn't treat the underlying cause, or even all of the symptoms, at this point it is just keeping me out of A&E.

I've been encouraged by my lovely friends and family to reach out and ask for help. I urgently need my next IV (to avoid the risk of liver / heart failure) and I desperately need the long term solution of getting the underlying conditions fully diagnosed and treated / managed properly. At this point I feel my only option is to seek private medical care for these two things and so I'm asking friends, family, and anyone who enjoys the content I make / has felt that I've supported their own creations to please donate to help me reach my goals.

But I wouldn't ask you to donate without giving something back to you - all through January and February (or as I'm collectively calling it now FANGUARY) you will find lots of fang-themed fabulousness including games and streams, to take part in to help me raise the money to pay for the medical care I need - SPECIFICALLY:

Diagnosis and treatment plan consultation - £1,741 (aprox – awaiting full quote)

IV Infusion, blood test and consultation - £870 (aprox - awaiting full quote)

Or if you just wish to just donate then of course you can do that here!

Every donation - even £1 - is HUGELY appreciated as there's no way I can fund this on my own. If I don't raise the full amount then at least I will have made a start or can maybe just get the IV, which is the most urgent thing. And if by any chance I raise more than I need, it will help pay for the next IV in three months time.

Thankyou for all your kind encouragement and support, it means the world and I hope that FANGUARY turns out to be fun for everyone, whether I raise the full amount of funds or not :)

Penny Blake xxx