Have you ever felt stuck in a cycle that you just can't find your way out of? Or maybe feel you have taken steps forward only to take some or even more backwards?

My friend, Erin, has been struggling for years and this fundraiser is to try to help her have the financial means to get the treatment she needs to set out on a new and successful path.

Erin is a survivor. She has C/PTSD (the C stands for complex), which is a mental health condition that developed as she experienced prolonged and repeated trauma, as well as a diagnosis of epilepsy that is a result of extreme childhood trauma. Erin has tried very hard to live the life she desires, but the struggle is extremely hard and depression often takes over. It has impacted every aspect of life, including financial security and friendships. My family and I have tried very hard to support Erin, even giving her a place to stay for quite some time to enable her to get back on her feet, but, as many know, facing mental health challenges makes every effort really hard.

Erin's medical team feels that her best option for living the life she dreams of is to undergo a treatment called TMS. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive procedure using magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, improving symptoms of major depression, as well as being investigated as a potential treatment for epilepsy. It's often used when other depression treatments haven't been effective.

While TMS should be covered by insurance, Erin needs the financial support to pay her bills while undergoing treatment and for a bit beyond as she searches for a new job. Treatment is typically 36 days and will require transportation as she does not have her own. Erin desperately needs to try something and I would love for her to be able to feel the support she longs for; so she may live a life that has a path forward where she accomplishes all she intends and gives back to our community in the way in which she aspires.