Support Carrie’s Fight for Life and Her Daughter’s Future

Hello everyone! My name is Susan Sopko. Carrie’s family, friends, and I would like to start a Go Fund Me account for her and her daughter. While we understand that many people are struggling during this economy, we are just asking that you take a minute to read her story and consider contributing whatever you can afford.

Carrie is a self-sufficient, single mother who strives to do many things on her own without asking others for help. Carrie has always taken pride in providing for herself and her daughter. She put off receiving disability for quite some time due to her love and dedication for teaching, as an inner city teacher, and taking care of her 9 year old daughter as a single mother. However, she has been suffering with her disease for quite some time now, which has progressed, resulting in her having to take a leave of absence from her teaching job to take care of herself and daughter as best as she can. The long commute and daily work tasks became unfeasible with the illness which she endures.

The disease from which she suffers is called scleroderma and with that comes many other secondary diseases. The most serious and life threatening is that called Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). She was recently diagnosed with Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease (PVOD) which has caused damage to her lungs as well as the right side of her heart – which is causing heart failure. This in turn causes her lungs to fail also. Additionally, she suffers from trigeminal neuropathy on the left side of her face, which is the most painful to mankind, raynauds, thyroid disease, and pericardial heart disease.

Within the last eleven (11) years, Carrie’s Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension has progressed quite aggressively. She has run out of medical options and needs a double lung transplant. Recently, she received devastating news from the Cleveland Clinic that they would not be listing her on the transplant list, after completing a series of tests. The only other viable option left is for her to seek being listed out of state at other hospitals that deal with complex diseases such as hers. With that comes travel and medical expenses.

Additionally, she is exploring the possibility of holistic and integrative treatments. Those, unfortunately, are not covered by her insurance. She also has a hard time absorbing nutrients by mouth and would like to receive them through IV.

Under disability, Carrie had to purchase her own health insurance for herself and her daughter, costing $1000 a month. With this new insurance comes high deductibles and out of pocket expenses. Because of her STRS disability she does not qualify for Medicaid or SNAP. Due to expensive prescriptions, the need for out of state care, a need for a lung transplant, and the cost of medical insurance for both her and her daughter, this has become a terrible burden and worry for her. It is becoming impossible for her to keep up with medical bills, house payment, car payments, and the cost of everyday necessities.

This fund means a lot to her family, friends, and I so that somewhat of a burden can be taken from her shoulders and she can take care of herself and her daughter, who worries everyday that she is going to lose her mommy. It is very difficult for her to ask for help so we are requesting it for her. As mentioned before, whatever you can contribute is appreciated and will be put to good use. The mountains she must climb to get healthy again are surmountable, but we are all confident that every little bit will help. Thank you from the bottom of all of our hearts if you can help!!