Hello everyone!

Sarah is a compassionate and talented nurse practitioner in the Surgical Intensive Care unit at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Sarah and her husband, James Park, have been on a long journey with IVF trying to have a baby. After a long, grueling process and many years of trying, Sarah was finally pregnant and their beautiful daughter, Ellie, arrived safely and absolutely perfect.

But shortly before Ellie’s birth, something unexpected happened. During what was supposed to be a routine epidural for labor pain during induction, Sarah began to experience a sudden loss of sensation and movement in both of her legs. This did not go away even after an epidural catheter was removed. She underwent a C-section under general anesthesia to safely deliver Ellie.

Since then, she has remained hospitalized. She has undergone extensive testing and treatment – including MRIs, high-dose steroids, IVIG, and hyperbaric oxygenation therapy – but Sarah is still paralyzed in both legs. Her diagnosis remains uncertain: it could be an unusual form of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a spinal cord injury, or a transverse myelitis. What is certain is that she now faces an incredibly different journey ahead. Instead of enjoying her new baby at home, Sarah will head to an acute inpatient rehabilitation for recovery.

As Sarah and James navigate this overwhelming and uncertain time—adjusting to a new life as parents while facing the challenges of recovery—we want to rally around them with love and support. Many of you have asked how you can help, and this GoFundMe has been set up as a way to do just that.

All donations will go toward additional medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and the many new needs that come with this unexpected life change. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference.

Please consider donating and sharing this fundraiser. Sarah and James have given so much to others—and now it’s our turn to give back to them.

Sincerely,

Megan and the UMMC SICU Team