Help Amanda Get to Mayo Clinic & Support Her Family During a Medical Crisis

Hi everyone,

I'm creating this fundraiser on behalf of my dear friend, Amanda, a devoted mom who’s been in the fight of her life.

On June 21st, she was unexpectedly hospitalized for seven days due to extreme fatigue, dangerously low blood counts, and unexplained symptoms that turned out to be more serious than anyone expected. Since then, she’s been unable to return to work and has faced a terrifying decline in her health.

Her Diagnosis So Far

Doctors in Billings have diagnosed her with two life-threatening blood disorders:

• Hereditary Spherocytosis Anemia – a rare genetic condition where red blood cells are misshapen and break down too early. This causes chronic anemia, extreme fatigue, and puts major stress on organs like the spleen.

• Pancytopenia – a serious condition where the body stops producing enough red cells, white cells, and platelets. This means she has low oxygen levels, no immune protection, and difficulty clotting — a combination that puts her at constant risk.

She’s already received multiple blood transfusions and two emergency autoimmune transfusions just to stay alive. But her condition is unstable, and not getting better.

She’s Headed to Mayo Clinic for Answers

Local doctors have done everything they can. Now, she’s been referred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN for an urgent, high-level evaluation. Her appointment is on August 20th, and this trip is vital. Mayo specialists will help determine:

• If she needs major surgery (like a spleen removal)

• What’s causing her body to break down its own blood

• How to stabilize her condition before it becomes irreversible

This trip could change her future, or save her life.

She’ll be traveling with a loved one, staying near Mayo Clinic for multiple days, and returning home to ongoing medical needs and little to no income.

Why We’re Asking for Help

Amanda has been out of work since June 21st, and between medical bills, travel costs, and caring for her children, things are becoming impossible. This GoFundMe will help cover:

• Flights and lodging for Mayo Clinic

• Meals, transport, and care while away from home

• Ongoing medical bills and prescriptions

• Basic living expenses while she’s unable to work

• Essentials for her kids during this time

Our Goal: $5,000+

We’re hoping to raise at least $5,000 to ease the financial burden while she focuses on getting answers and healing. Every dollar raised will go directly to supporting her trip, her recovery, and her children.

If you can donate, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. If you can’t, please consider sharing this page to help us reach others who can.

Let’s show Amanda that she’s not alone in this fight.

Thank you for your love, support, and kindness.

— Katelin Madsen