<div>Pack, Family, and Community,

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>This… is going to be a lot to unpack.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>I’ve always said that living openly means living truthfully — so here it is: my health journey has entered a serious new stage, and I’ve reached the point where I can’t fight this one out alone.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>Right now, my care team is working through a web of overlapping autoimmune conditions that are hitting my body hard. We’ve confirmed an autoimmune overlap syndrome, ongoing immune irregularities, and now pernicious — an autoimmune condition that blocks my body from absorbing vitamin B12.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>What does that mean in real terms? My red blood cells don’t form correctly, leaving me at constant risk for anemia, nerve damage, cognitive issues, and even digestive system cancers without targeted treatment. It can also “flip a switch” on me — one moment leaving me with burning pain, another with exhaustion, confusion, or breathlessness.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>I don’t plan on letting it get that far.

</div>

<div>That’s not how DEFIANT goes down.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>Still, the reality is heavy: recent imaging shows multiple pulmonary nodules that point toward malignancy, requiring ongoing monitoring and possible future intervention. My bloodwork is raising concerns about clonal cells, which means more testing to rule out leukemia and related risks. Add to that coronary artery calcification, advanced for my age, and it’s clear: this is a multi-front battle.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>The bottom line is: we don’t yet have all the answers, but the road ahead is long, urgent, and costly.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>⸻

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>Why I Need Backup

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>In full transparency: since returning to Chicago, I’ve been living with my Sponsor while working toward a return to full-time employment. I know it may seem like I’ve been asking for a lot lately, but this isn’t about comfort — it’s about survival and stability. I’m doing everything I can to lock down my health, housing, and career quickly and efficiently — without being a burden.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>That’s why I’m asking for backup. Donations will go directly toward:

</div>

<div>	•	Medical costs and ongoing testing as my care team works toward answers and treatment

</div>

<div>	•	Housing stability during this time of transition

</div>

<div>	•	Monthly CTA transit passes so I can reliably get to and from my providers

</div>

<div>	•	Day-to-day essentials that keep me steady enough to fight

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>⸻

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>Auxiliary Shields Up

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>It feels like all hell is breaking loose, but I promise you this — auxiliary shields are up. I’m not giving in. My doctors and I are pressing forward, one test, one infusion, one fight at a time.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>I’m already undergoing weekly infusion therapy — each round a cycle of anxiety, relief, and resolve — and I will keep showing up.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>If you can back me — financially, emotionally, or by sharing this campaign — it makes all the difference. Every bit of support strengthens the shield wall around me and proves again what community can do when it shows up.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>Thank you for standing with me in this storm.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>With grit, gratitude, and DEFIANCE,

</div>

<div>PUP✶DEFIANT

</div>

Anthony Todd

Michael Jeske

Anonymous

Ezra Gershman

PUP✶DEFIANT: A Battle to Secure Health and Stability

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

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English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

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Fund is in English speaking country

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Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

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checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

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EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

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p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

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Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

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AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

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AI Chatbot Audience

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UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

NPO recommendations prod

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UC Tipping v20250107

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GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

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Is Recurring Friendly

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NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

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Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

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Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

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Survicate

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challenge-fundraisers

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CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

PUP✶DEFIANT: A Battle to Secure Health and Stability

Still $1,765 to go. Help us build momentum.