Support Aera's Journey to Health Recovery

2024 was a rough year for Aera’s health. Multiple new health diagnoses require Aera to make some pretty drastic changes to how they manage their day-to-day life, including how to adjust to living with disabilities as well as figuring out how to support themselves in a sustainable way. Pain and extreme fatigue made it almost impossible for Aera to work consistently since late October, leaving them with a lot of debt and no way to take care of it. Getting a diagnosis is great, but it means that Aera won’t be able to work for much of January through March while they adjust to new medications and attend the many new required care appointments needed to stabilize their condition. Aera exhausted the state support funds available to them in 2024 and is left needing some help to overcome the hurdle while they heal and adapt to get back to work and support themselves. As a queer and disabled independent business owner, Aera has worked tirelessly to help members of their community to create safe spaces for immunocompromised patients from all walks of life who need supportive care. The demands on Aera have taken a serious toll on their mental health and sense of security, which is why we’re setting up this fundraiser. Right now, Aera is in a position where they need to receive love, care, and support, something they aren’t comfortable asking for themselves.

After years of back and forth with multiple medical professionals, Aera was finally able to get several life-changing diagnoses that explained most of their struggles over the years. Towards the end of 2024, they were diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a disorder where joints will dislocate randomly and where patients often experience chronic pain; Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) which is an autoimmune disorder where the body mistakenly thinks it’s having an allergic reaction when it is not, frequently triggering anaphylaxis for Aera and associated with the foods that they eat; Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) which is a nervous system disorder which triggered a rapidly increased heart rate when Aera stands up from lying or sitting causing dizziness and extreme fatigue.

Aera does have access to insurance, however, some of the diagnostic options and many of the treatments that have been the most effective for their autoimmune conditions are not currently covered, leaving Aera to pay for these out of pocket and in medical debt at around $4,000 as of January 2025. Medication costs come in between $250-300 per month. Aera lives alone in rent-controlled housing but doesn’t have the income necessary to foot the ever-mounting out-of-pocket expenses, and their emergency savings has been mostly exhausted. Due to the MCAS, they are on a heavily restricted diet and may eat only specified foods, which has drastically increased their food budget requirements.

As if that weren’t enough, Aera was recently told they needed a significant amount of dental work, which is currently estimated at $1,500 out-of-pocket, with the caveat that this may change if one of their teeth requires a crown instead of a filling (it’s on the cusp at the moment).

As most of their health disorders are autoimmune by nature, Aera has to be particularly cautious when it comes to seeking adequate and safe medical and dental care, namely that the provider needs to maintain a high level of COVID, Flu, and RSV-safe protocols which has been a hindrance to care for them. These autoimmune concerns also mean that Aera is unable to utilize public transportation at this time and relies on their partner to help drive them to care appointments outside safe walking distance.

Aera needs a little help to get over the hump while they adapt to all the challenges that have been thrown their way. Aera is hoping for $9,000 to cover the expenses listed below as well as anything unexpected that may arise between now and April. They are hopeful this will be enough time for them to heal, get stabilized, and get back to work on a consistent schedule.

Dental Care: $1,500+

Medication: $250-300 per month (4 months)

Medical debt: $4,000

Food & living expenses: $2,000 (4 months)