Susanne Schmitt (Kloda) - ALS Fundraiser
Donation protected
LOVE & SUPPORT FOR SUSANNE
We write this with an urgency, love, and hope. In June of 2019 our
dear Susanne (Kloda) Schmitt was given the life changing diagnosis of
ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) aka Lou Gehrig's disease.
ALS is devastating to all who have it and the families and friends who
love and support them. ALS is relentless and a cure is yet to be
discovered. As medical science advances, there are many new clinical
trials, treatments and medicines that may slow or halt ALS so there IS
hope. For all to understand the power of this disease, due to a
mutated gene, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that
attacks and eventually deadens one’s nerve cells (motor neurons) that
communicate between the brain and spinal cord. Without those
communications, the voluntary everyday muscles one needs to function
die off and the ability to independently move, speak, swallow, and
breath are eventually lost. The body is paralyzed but the mind and
heart are fully functioning. It’s simply beyond comprehension.
Our family is truly blessed to have Susanne in our lives! She has a
zest for life and a deep love of family! Her optimism is infectious
and lifts us all up. Susanne embodies love, thoughtfulness, and
dedication to those she touches. She leads with her heart and over
the years has been generously paying it forward with one random act of
kindness at a time. There is one trait that Susanne now amplifies...
and that is courage! The courage to take ALS head-on by receiving
treatment and working tirelessly to remain as independent and active
as possible while on this new path.
We love and cherish Susanne with all our hearts and that is why our
family is asking for your love, support and donations to help Susanne
on her new path. Time is precious – ALS onset and progression is
different for each person diagnosed and in Susanne’s case, onset and
progression have been extraordinarily fast and so the urgency.
Susanne's goal is to keep fighting and to keep smiling. Keep fighting
for independence and mobility -- and keep smiling for simple pleasures
like visiting family and friends and being out and about. From a care
perspective, this requires 24x7 caregiving, medication, and special
medical equipment. As a labor of love, her husband, Tom, built her an
amazing wheelchair ramp and installed a stairlift in effort to ensure
safety in and around the home. We’re also grateful that insurance is
covering some devices and services, like an electric wheelchair,
communication unit, and VNA home services; however, it doesn’t cover
many other costs – therefore this outreach to our extended family,
friends, and community.
Today we’re setting up this fundraiser to help Susanne with the
significant expense of a wheelchair accessible van. This van will make
an immediate impact on Susanne, her caregivers and the entire family
from both a safety and quality of life perspective. Her husband, Tom,
is a mechanic so maintenance and modifications are not an issue to a
used van. Truly, any amount of emotional or financial support is a
blessing during this challenging time.
Your prayers, kindness, positive thoughts, donations and, most
importantly, love is sincerely appreciated.
Susanne’s Family
We write this with an urgency, love, and hope. In June of 2019 our
dear Susanne (Kloda) Schmitt was given the life changing diagnosis of
ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) aka Lou Gehrig's disease.
ALS is devastating to all who have it and the families and friends who
love and support them. ALS is relentless and a cure is yet to be
discovered. As medical science advances, there are many new clinical
trials, treatments and medicines that may slow or halt ALS so there IS
hope. For all to understand the power of this disease, due to a
mutated gene, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that
attacks and eventually deadens one’s nerve cells (motor neurons) that
communicate between the brain and spinal cord. Without those
communications, the voluntary everyday muscles one needs to function
die off and the ability to independently move, speak, swallow, and
breath are eventually lost. The body is paralyzed but the mind and
heart are fully functioning. It’s simply beyond comprehension.
Our family is truly blessed to have Susanne in our lives! She has a
zest for life and a deep love of family! Her optimism is infectious
and lifts us all up. Susanne embodies love, thoughtfulness, and
dedication to those she touches. She leads with her heart and over
the years has been generously paying it forward with one random act of
kindness at a time. There is one trait that Susanne now amplifies...
and that is courage! The courage to take ALS head-on by receiving
treatment and working tirelessly to remain as independent and active
as possible while on this new path.
We love and cherish Susanne with all our hearts and that is why our
family is asking for your love, support and donations to help Susanne
on her new path. Time is precious – ALS onset and progression is
different for each person diagnosed and in Susanne’s case, onset and
progression have been extraordinarily fast and so the urgency.
Susanne's goal is to keep fighting and to keep smiling. Keep fighting
for independence and mobility -- and keep smiling for simple pleasures
like visiting family and friends and being out and about. From a care
perspective, this requires 24x7 caregiving, medication, and special
medical equipment. As a labor of love, her husband, Tom, built her an
amazing wheelchair ramp and installed a stairlift in effort to ensure
safety in and around the home. We’re also grateful that insurance is
covering some devices and services, like an electric wheelchair,
communication unit, and VNA home services; however, it doesn’t cover
many other costs – therefore this outreach to our extended family,
friends, and community.
Today we’re setting up this fundraiser to help Susanne with the
significant expense of a wheelchair accessible van. This van will make
an immediate impact on Susanne, her caregivers and the entire family
from both a safety and quality of life perspective. Her husband, Tom,
is a mechanic so maintenance and modifications are not an issue to a
used van. Truly, any amount of emotional or financial support is a
blessing during this challenging time.
Your prayers, kindness, positive thoughts, donations and, most
importantly, love is sincerely appreciated.
Susanne’s Family
Organizer and beneficiary
Michael Kloda
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Susanne (Pingtella) Schmitt
Beneficiary