Help Rose Heal: Support a Nurse Who’s Spent Her Life Caring for Others

For 17 years, Rose Zandstra has been the nurse you’d want by your side — calm, kind, and deeply dedicated to her patients. She’s spent her career caring for the elderly in long-term care, most recently at Citadel Nursing and Rehab in Kankakee, Illinois, and before that at Crown Point Christian Village.

Rose has always been the one giving — to her patients, her coworkers, her friends, and her family. She’s a loving mom to two wonderful kids (plus one dog and four cats who adore her). Now, it’s our turn to care for her.

Earlier this year, Rose suffered a stroke that left her unable to work. During her recovery, doctors discovered a macroadenoma — a brain tumor that has doubled in size since May. This has slowed her healing significantly. She now experiences double vision and loss of sight on her left side, and although she faithfully attends therapy, she’s often in pain and exhausted after just an hour.

Her doctors remain hopeful that, in time, she’ll regain 80–90% of her abilities, but for now, the journey is long and demanding — physically, emotionally, and financially. Rose has applied for assistance programs, but as many know, those take time to process. Meanwhile, her everyday expenses and medical bills continue to grow.

We’re asking for your help — whether through a donation, a share, or a prayer — to lift up someone who has spent her life lifting others.

Every dollar raised will go directly to Rose and her family to help cover living expenses and medical costs while she focuses on recovery.

Rose’s biggest wish is simple: to heal, get back on her feet, and return to doing what she loves most — helping others heal.

Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and for being part of Rose’s village. Keeping pushing Rose, you can do this! Much love, Tracey Cruz and Eydie Gaines

Update 4/18/26 As Rose continues to heal and hopefully return to work, she was hit yet again with more devastation. On March 10th a tornado left her home with severe roof and fence damage. While insurance will cover most of the repairs, Rose is still left with clean up expenses on top of day to day living expenses that there just sadly isnt enough funding for. If you can help even just a small amount, it would be greatly appreciated.