Dear friends, colleagues and family,

some of you know already know this, following my personal Instagram account. If you’re reading this and we haven’t spoken, I appreciate you and am genuinely grateful you’ve taken a moment to learn about what’s going on:

While visiting my family in the United States, I experienced a severe herniated disc (schwerer Bandscheibenvorfall) that compressed my sciatic nerve in my lower back. The pain forced me into the emergency room at UChicago Medicine, where I incurred a medical bill of about $2500.

As a self-employed coach in my first year of building a client base, this amount represents a significant financial burden I cannot carry alone.

Thank God, I was able to get back to Germany four days later. I landed in Frankfurt and my mom took me straight to the hospital.

Because of the sciatic nerve compression I now have partial numbness in my big left toe, the top of my left foot and along the outer side of my left calf. I’m not able to lift my left foot properly.

Despite urgent treatment—including two injections and a series of tests—I will need surgery on Monday (July 21, 2025), which gives me an 80 % chance of full recovery.

After the surgery, I need to stay in the hospital for a few days and start rehab soon after. Unfortunately I will be unable to work for a few weeks as I recover, and had to cancel my plans in Berlin until I am able to travel again. The whole recovery process will take about two months. That is why I have launched this GoFundMe campaign.

Your donation will go directly toward:

• Paying the emergency room bill at UChicago Medicine

• Covering basic living expenses during my recovery period

Every contribution—no matter the size—will bring me one step closer to healing without the stress of mounting debt. If you are unable to give, sharing this link with your network is equally powerful and deeply appreciated.

Thank you for standing with me during this challenging time. Your support means the world.

With gratitude,

Shaheen