Replace stolen electrolysis gear

Hi! My name is Charlotte Lai. I'm an electrologist in Pasadena, California.

Sometime last night, my car was broken into, and my electrolysis equipment was stolen, primarily consisting of an Instantron Elite Spectrum (that is, the machine) a pair of custom Q-Optics loupes (the magnifiers). In total, the value of these two things combined is about $5000. I'm pessimistic that I'll be getting either of these things back, and I'm humbly asking for $5000 to cover the costs of replacing them.

As those of you who know me personally know, I was laid off from my job in the fall of 2018, and had put the money I'd been saving for surgery into starting an electrolysis practice--primarily to cope with dealing with the electrolysis scars that other providers in the Los Angeles area gave me. My attempt to get a license was postponed due to the pandemic--I finished my hours at school in March 2020 and only last week got an exam date for January 5, 2021. The Board does not allow these exams to be rescheduled, and without equipment, that means I'll need to reapply (and repay) for a date well into the future. (Just to be clear, it's impossible for me to get an epilator and a pair of good loupes quickly enough to make the 5th, so my date will be pushed regardless.)

My plan was to start up my practice over January and February of 2021, which has been waylaid. In Los Angeles, the average cost of electrolysis is about $120/hr, but I have never had any intention of charging my clients this much. In fact, much of the work I've been doing has been free-of-charge, and in many cases, on clients who have the same scars that I do. My revenue in total so far has been under the cost of my gear, not to mention the cost of tuition, needles, sanitization equipment, etc. I've been treating this endeavor not as a business but as a labor of love.

Any contribution of any amount would be appreciated more than I could adequately express. Thank you for reading.

-- Char