Pls help Tegwen medical bills and a 2nd opinion

Dear friends, family, former colleagues & compassionate souls,

My name is Trisha Peverada.

I'm hoping you will find it in your heart to help a dear friend many of you may know ~ Tegwen Helgason. She has been sick for many yrs, spending more time in a Hospital than at home. Her "Journey living w/o an Esophagus" for the past several yrs doesn't begin to show you how horrific this disease is. All the surgeries, missed diagnoses, medical errors, complications, huge medical expenses, etc. have changed her life from one, once filled with laughter, boundless energy love & care for others has been overshadowed by this cruel, debilitating disease. I'm reaching out to you for your support as we rally around her to bring her comfort, relief & hope in the face of mounting medical expenses, supplies not covered by insurance, travel for a second opinion & to live longer to see her precious grand children grow up.

She is not just a Mom & an Amma of 4, she is the cornerstone of her family. A hard worker, selfless to her core, she has always put the needs of her family & others before her own. As an Amma, she radiates joy. Her love for her grandchildren is boundless & she is a shining example of involvement. Her presence in their lives is immeasurable.

Professionally, Tegwen was more than a boss, she was a mentor, a friend, a lifeline to those she worked with. Her caring nature extended beyond her employees' problems & genuinely cared for their well-being. When her daughters began working at the Hospital, the sentiment was universal: "You're Tegwen's daughter, we love her." She frequently spearheaded charity drives for the Hospital, Employees facing a crisis, (building up a substantial pool of money for employees who were facing a crisis, they could borrow from). She helped colleagues with raising money for what they were spearheading. She even held an ED party to raise money & the entertainment was jello wrestling!. For many years, she always had extra guests for Holidays who worked at the Hospital but would be alone. Tegwen taught her family the importance of giving back.

Achalasia has stripped away her vitality & taken a toll on her physical & emotional well being. She spends more time in the Hospital than she does at home. Having her esophagus out & reconstruction surgery at B&W's hospital cost over $2.5million dollars, not all covered by insurance. Sadly last week Tegwen got the news that the surgery they performed did not take and there are no more options left but to live on a feeding tube & another emergency surgery scheduled for tomorrow. And in the midst of this, her Thoracic Surgeon left the practice w/o even a call or letter. Several months ago she had emergency surgery & ended up on a ventilator.

I ask, beg you to consider helping this wonderful friend of mine & to all.

How can you make a difference?

Donate. Your contribution, regardless of size will directly ease the mounting medical expenses already burdening her & her family but future expenses. It would also enable her to travel to the Mayo Clinic for a second opinion.

Share: Spread her story far & wide, reaching those who can empathize with her journey & hopefully offer their support. Send this to your friends, her friends, former colleagues.

Send encouragement: Your heartfelt messages of love & support will give her the strength she needs to face each day. Being in the Hospital is lonely, visits are rare because they are afraid of getting sick themselves..

We stand united in our determination to lift some weight off her shoulders, giving her the chance to reclaim moments of joy, humor & love. Your generosity will not only alleviate the financial strain but will also offer her some peace of mind. Her family & I thank you with all our hearts!

Trish Peverada

[email redacted]