*This campaign has been redirected to a new link. Please visit: https://gofund.me/89c2ecf90

Hi, my name is Angie, and in early 2025, I began to suffer from a sudden voice disorder, alongside an unexpected flood of health challenges. Nearly a year later, I am finally entering into a phase of recovery, having recently "found" my voice and cautiously trying to soak in some semblance of normalcy.

Some of my diagnoses included a Generalized Anxiety Disorder, causing Panic, Major Depressive Disorder, and Functional Neurological Disorder, causing severe stutter and dysphonia. None of these conditions were terms that I could identify myself with before 2025. Although I had some experience with therapy, I had never experienced a debilitating mental illness and physical symptoms that categorically made me start to self-identify with the term, "disability."

Almost eleven-months later, finally beginning to look at things in "hindsight," I am realizing how painstakingly humbling last year has been and perhaps that it has happened for a reason, rather than the perpetual "what did I do wrong."

I still likely have some weeks or months to go to fully recover, but as I do and celebrate my birthday in a few weeks, I wanted to take a pause of gratitude, quiet celebration, and at the same time, sharing the knowledge and humility I've gained over the past eleven months.

This is why I humbly ask my friends, colleagues, and loved ones, for my birthday this year, to consider donating to two causes that I will hold dearly, likely for the rest of my life: mental health and women's health awareness, research, and education.

I'd love if instead of a "birthday gift," if you could consider sharing your kind thoughts and appreciation by contributing to this fundraising campaign. I will divide the proceeds 50/50, and they will go to: the Centre for Addictions & Mental Health (CAMH) and the Women's College Hospital Foundation (WCH) at the end of January. I will share a post with a confirmation of donation.

I appreciate your consideration and contribution in advance. Whether you do or not, I'd also appreciate your time if you can take a look at the following organizations/projects today:

These are groups and resources that I didn't even know existed until last year and also want to share with all my loved ones to spread knowledge and awareness.

In case you want to know more about my personal experience, here's a recent blog article I wrote capturing what I could for now.