Sarah's Fight Against Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Hi, I'm Sonya and this is my best friend, Sarah.

When we first met, she always had high spirits and was full of energy. However, over the past year, her health has rapidly declined, making her everyday life a struggle. It started with her sudden inability to digest meat and dairy, which led to unimaginable challenges in using the bathroom. Things took a turn for the worse as her body seemed to rebel against her - muscle loss, tremors, excruciating pain, extreme amounts of bruising, and even deterioration in her back.

In May 2023, she became incapable of working due to her constant pains. Since then, she’s received short term disability, but her benefits have been cut by more than 65%. Her and her husband, Jesse Villagrana, have visited countless doctors, and felt hopeless until a recent diagnosis revealed the truth: she has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a genetic disorder affecting her connective tissues. Connective tissues are proteins that provide elasticity and support to the joints, blood vessels, and skin. It also negatively affects her chances of a safe pregnancy. Throughout this terrifying journey Jesse has been her unwavering support physically, emotionally, and financially.

Months of uncertainty passed until the morning of September 8th. Sarah received a call informing her of her acceptance into the Mayo clinic in Jacksonville, Florida for specialized treatment. The only downside is she lives over 1,000 miles away and must take multiple trips to complete her treatments. As you know, traveling is NOT cheap. Her and her husband cannot afford this medical journey on their own. They need assistance with transportation, flights, housing, and supplies, especially while she is out of work. All donations will go directly to their bank account so it can used immediately to pay for her first visit on October 19th of this year.

Sarah is a loving and caring friend, and it troubles me to see her experience this painful disorder. She’s been put through so much and deserves the right treatment.

Your support, whether through donations or simply sharing this GoFundMe to your community, is much appreciated. Thank you!