Hi, my name is Amy Thompson, and I live in Syracuse, NY with my husband and our three amazing children--each with unique and special needs. We bought our first home a little over a year ago, something we are incredibly proud of. But shortly after giving birth to my youngest child, everything changed. The day I was discharged from the hospital after having my daughter, I was rushed back in due to severe heart complications. I was diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy and heart failure-a life threatening condition that has turned our world upside down. Three months ago, I underwent ICD surgery (an internal defibrillator) and now require constant monitoring, ongoing treatment, and frequent hospital visits three times a week.

I can no longer work. Between my declining health and my medical needs, I'm doing everything I can just to stay strong for my family. My husband is working overtime to cover our basic bills but we are still struggling to keep up with our mortgage and daily living expenses. On top of this, I have to travel for appointments and am scheduled for a critical heart transplant evaluation at NYU in August. We are also raising three young children, all with special needs: Our fifth grader is high functioning autistic and needs therapy and structure to thrive, our three year old son is preparing to enter Special Education preschool program this fall and our our 10 month old daughter, who will turn one next month, was born without her left hand and part of her arm. She requires specialized care and physical therapy. I've lost both of my parents over the past two years and don't have reliable help nearby. My husband tries his best to help with the kids, but it's overwhelming-especially with my medical demands and our financial situation.

We are humbly asking for help to: prevent foreclosure by catching up on our mortgage payments; cover transportation, lodging, cab fare and food for my upcoming heart transplant evaluation; pay for childcare support while I attend 3+ medical appointments per week, get school supplies and clothes for the boys as the new school year approaches; throw a small birthday celebration for our baby girl- a moment of joy during a very heavy time. Every donation-big or small- makes a real difference in helping us survive this chapter. And if you can't give, we ask that you please share our story with your network. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, supporting, and praying for our family.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Amy Thompson