Support Amanda Wong's Critical Lyme Treatment

Dear friends, family, and community, my name is Kelly, and I’m reaching out on behalf of one of my closest friends, Amanda Wong. Like me, many of you might know Amanda as an artist, or through her work in farming and mutual aid at Star Route Farm in the Catskills. Amanda has spent the last eight years tending to more than just soil, she has been nourishing our community, and sowing seeds of reciprocity, believing that care for the land and care for people are inseparable.

What many of you may not know is that for the past five years, Amanda has been caught in the winding maze of our healthcare system. Since 2020, she has been battling the debilitating effects of chronic Lyme disease, dealing with relentless full-body pain, fatigue, and frequent flare-ups. Over the past two months, Amanda's condition has worsened, with reactivation of both Lyme disease and Epstein-Barr virus.

Amanda’s doctors have recommended 30 IV antibiotic treatments over 5 weeks, followed by at least six months of IV antibiotics administered through a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) line for long-term treatment. This essential treatment is critical and comes with significant costs because it is not covered by insurance.

We are hoping to raise an initial $16,000 to cover the medical expenses from five weeks of treatment and basic living costs during treatment.

Where the money will go:

• IV antibiotic treatment via PICC line (6.5 weeks): $13,000

• Living expenses during treatment: $3,000

Amanda has helped our community grow more connected and more just through her art, activism, and farming. Now, as she faces this challenge, she needs us to help sustain her.

Every contribution brings Amanda closer to the treatment she needs. If you're not able to donate, sharing this campaign will go a long way in making sure she gets the support that she deserves.

With the deepest of gratitude,

Kelly and friends