Sophia Cowie's Stroke Recovery Fund

Would you like to know someone who gives to the world? Someone who has helped the homeless, worked with Worldvision, someone who paid for someone to go through rehabilitation? On a personal level, would you like to have a friend who makes you dinner when you are working seven days a week, who will watch your children with no notice? Would you like to have someone so driven that they reached one of the top 3 sales producers in 6 months of employment as a co-worker or employee?

Well, here’s an opportunity to pay it forward to someone who has given all of these things and so much more. Sophia Cowie is one of those rare souls - beautiful, intelligent, giver to a fault, competitive, team-oriented and one of the hardest working people I know.

Right now, she needs our help. She’s not the type of person to ask for help - she’s too busy giving it! However, she suffered an ischemic stroke and is getting ready for surgery. For months, she’s struggled to provide for her three young daughters and meet her financial obligations. Looking back, she had been suffering from undiagnosed mini-strokes. Because she’s already gone through cancer in the same area, there are a lot of unknowns, and there’s a very good chance that recovery will take longer than usual.

Here’s Sophia’s story…

At the age of 31 in 2014, Sophia was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (head and neck cancer). She then had three surgeries, six rounds of chemotherapy, 36 consecutive days of radiation and numerous stays in the hospital. Unfortunately, the type of cancer that Sophia had contracted was rare, and therefore, the doctors could not provide a lot of information on how well the procedures would go. This type of cancer affects less than 1% of the population.

(Pictured Above is Sophia Cowie holding her radiation mask with her daughter, Amira.)

As a mother of two young girls (Amira, five years old and Zariah, three years old), this was a tough time with many hardships. For instance, there were times when her then 5-year-old was cleaning up Sophia’s vomit from the radiation and chemotherapy. The girls watched the strongest woman they knew in their life on death’s doorstep.

As a result of the radiation and chemotherapy, her thyroid and saliva glands are no longer functional. In addition, Sophia has had to take numerous medications and endure ongoing therapies to ensure her ability to speak and swallow properly.

All seemed to return to normal until the summer of 2021. Sophia was not herself. She was tired, forgetful, and didn't seem to have the same stamina and zest for success. Sophia was physically and mentally unable to work consistently, so bills started piling up.

On December 20, 2021, at 38 years old, Sophia collapsed in front of her children. She had had a significant stroke and was admitted to the hospital. After extensive testing, the doctors realized she had been experiencing mini-strokes for at least six months.

The strokes had been caused by a massive plaque buildup in her carotid artery from the radiation scar tissue she received during cancer treatment. Sophia’s carotid artery was 99.99% blocked from the base of her neck to her frontal lobe, which stopped proper blood flow to her brain.

Sophia has been receiving medications to help break down the plaque and thin her blood. But unfortunately, this has produced minimal success.

Sophia’s neurology team has scheduled a surgery for the end of March. Unfortunately, although her condition is at a critical stage, the backlog in our healthcare system will not allow for immediate treatment.

It is also unknown if the surgery can be completed because of the severity of plaque buildup in her artery and how much more they will find once they begin surgery inside her body. There is a definite chance of another major stroke or death during surgery.

Sophia has been advised she must not work and keep stress to a minimum while she awaits surgery, as her risk is still very high. As a result of her blockage and medications, Sophia deals with constant exhaustion, nausea and headaches. Sophia will need recovery time in hospital and at home--whether the surgery is successful or another plan has to be made by the doctors.

As the primary breadwinner and mother of 3 children, finances are demanding under normal circumstances. However, with the additional financial burden of ER visits, travel for medical appointments, medications (even with some coverage), maintaining household bills and mortgage payments, child care and putting food on the table for the family, the family savings and extended family resources have been depleted. The financial consequences have been dire. Sophia’s close family has struggled to help financially and emotionally for months.

Ironically, Sophia worked as a self-employed life insurance agent and was waiting for the time to pass for her ineligibility from the cancer diagnosis. However, because she was self-employed, she does not qualify for disability benefits. In addition, the clock has just reset for any time of life insurance option because she now has cancer, heart and stroke issues.

At this point, Sophia and her family are at a crisis point. The family home is being put up for sale. The mortgage payments have not been made. Utility companies are frequently threatening to disconnect services, and debts are piling up.

We are asking for help to support our friend, coworker and family member in her time of illness and need. Every bit will help and go directly to Sophia and her family. Your donation will help ease the financial burden and stress they are enduring and hopefully lead to her recovery.

We appreciate your time and help!

Sincerely,

Sophia’s Recovery Team