Support Jen's Battle Against Toxic Mold

Help Me Breathe Again: Mold Remediation for My Home

In January 2021, I moved back to Colorado, excited to start fresh in what I thought was my "Dream Home" near Carter Lake. Little did I know, this dream would soon turn into a health nightmare.

Within three months of moving in, I began experiencing severe sinus issues, unrelenting fatigue, and unexpected weight gain. As someone who has battled autoimmune diseases my entire life, I initially attributed these symptoms to my existing conditions. However, when they worsened, I knew something wasn’t right.

After a long journey of doctor visits, I was diagnosed with CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome). Simply put, my body reacts to biotoxins, like mold, with an autoimmune response instead of eliminating them naturally. This diagnosis brought clarity to years of unexplained illnesses, including alopecia, cystic acne, psoriasis, endometriosis, and Hashimoto's disease.

The true culprit behind my declining health? Mold. My home, the place where I hoped to heal, turned out to be filled with toxic black mold (Stachybotrys chartarum) due to failing plumbing. What started as an $8,000 remediation estimate in 2021 has spiraled into a $102,000 nightmare over the past three years. Despite my efforts to address the problem, additional mold growth has once again rendered parts of my home uninhabitable.

I’ve reached the end of my financial resources, but I refuse to give up hope. This time, I’m working with a new remediation team, and their estimate is just over $17,000. However, that doesn’t include the rebuilding costs that typically add around $8,000. To cover the remediation and necessary repairs, I’ve set a goal of $20,000.

Your support will help me take the next step toward reclaiming my health and making my home safe again. Every dollar donated will go directly toward:

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering a donation. If you can’t donate, sharing my campaign would mean the world to me. Together, we can turn this nightmare back into a dream.

With gratitude,

Jen

FAQ:

1. Doesn't insurance cover this?

Because there was no "incident" that caused the mold, insurance will not cover any part of this.

2. How was this not caught in the home inspection?

Colorado doesn't mold test as part of the inspection process and most believe "we don't have mold here" but mold can live in any building materials that get wet. The only visible signs of an issue were some small black spots in the basement bathroom shower and looked completely innocuous.

3. Why has it taken so long to find it all?

We tried to address the glaring issues first and the last two spaces were areas that looked completely minor compared to the gutting of the entire interior of the house.

4. Why don't you move?

With the state of the economy, I cannot afford to sell this house while disclosing a mold issue and then sink deeper into debt with a new higher mortgage. In addition to that - anywhere I live now needs to have some serious changes made for my future health (for example I cannot have carpet inside any home I live in).

5. ***will add more details depending on questions***