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⭐ Our Request: A One-Time Financial Reset
We’re raising funds for a one-time Financial Reset. After Bruce’s cancer and spine complications forced him to stop working, our income dropped significantly. This reset will eliminate the long-term debt draining our income. This will allow us to move forward by living on our current income, restoring long-term independence.
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❤️ Our Story
We’re Bruce and Lakshmi. For more than four years, we’ve been navigating Bruce’s health challenges. Bruce is currently in partial remission from his cancer with ongoing treatment. There are no further treatments available for his spine challenges. Now that the substantial initial expenses are behind us, our ongoing medical costs are low enough for our current income to sustain us.
During the initial difficult period, Bruce had to stop working permanently. Lakshmi became his full-time caregiver, reducing her Chair Yoga teaching and certifications. With our income dropping sharply, we had to rely on credit to get through the crisis.
Lakshmi is the creator of Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga and has certified over 3,000 teachers worldwide. We’ve spent our lives helping others, and now we’re asking for help to rebuild our stability and create a safe, sustainable foundation for our future.
Asking for help is not easy. But we’re doing it because we believe in community and in the kindness of people who understand how quickly life can change.
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Our One-Time Financial Reset
This is a one-time reset, not ongoing support. Paying down the accumulated long-term debt will eliminate that drain on our income, including allowing us to keep our home and car.
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A Reassuring Breakdown
We want donors to understand exactly what this reset covers. The long-term debt below is not new — it accumulated during Bruce’s initial cancer and spine crises. Paying it off permanently will lower our monthly expenses enough to allow us to live on our current income.
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Long-Term Debt to Be Paid Off
These are our long-term debts, making it impossible to regain stability.
• Medical loans — $66,000
• Car loan — $19,000
• Furnace loan — $6,000
Total long-term debt: $91,000
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Emergency Fund
Additionally, by creating an emergency fund, we will protect our monthly income from surprise one-time expenses. Given our 15 years in our current home, this fund will be sufficient to help us avoid minor financial distress:
For example, last year our furnace failed unexpectedly, and we had to take out a loan to cover the repair. This fund would have prevented that.
• Home or auto repairs
• Medical copays
• Other unexpected expenses
Emergency fund: $12,000
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Why This Reset Works
Once the long-term debt is repaid, Lakshmi’s reduced teaching schedule and our Social Security will cover our current monthly living expenses (even without Bruce working).
Our home has been our sanctuary for 15 years, and this reset allows us to stay here.
This reset will give us the stability to move forward with dignity, eliminating the fear of another financial crisis.
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What If Bruce’s Health Declines Again?
Bruce is currently in partial remission and receiving ongoing treatment at City of Hope. His medical team is managing everything proactively. Any cancer treatments will be much lower than the initial ones. Bruce’s spinal challenge is stabilized. No further medical intervention is possible. Therefore, our current income will carry us through.
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A Path Forward
We are hopeful about our future. With this funding, we will rebuild our lives step by step, moving forward with stability and peace of mind.
Your kindness — whether through donating or simply sharing our page — means more to us than we can express. Every amount truly helps.
Thank you for helping us take this next step to a secure future.
With gratitude,
Bruce & Lakshmi
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P.S. — Please Share Our Story
Sharing is just as powerful as donating. It will mean so much if you could share our GoFundMe with friends and/or on social media. Every share helps our story reach more people, which can make a difference.
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