Putting together a GoFundMe for myself is uncomfortable and difficult but it is something I am doing because I feel I have no other choice. I know that many people are already aware of my struggle with treatment-resistant depression but feel powerless as to how to help and perhaps this campaign will allow them to feel they can help in some way. I have been suffering greatly from treatment-resistant depression for 15+ years with each episode lasting for months--the most recent two episodes lasting 6 months+. During these episodes, I am barely able to function at home, as a mother, as a spouse, and at work, and have only scraped through because of the amazing, dedicated support from my husband, parents and co-workers. I had to give up my teaching career because of these lengthy mental health episodes which have returned every year since 2010. Over the years I have tried everything possible to help alleviate my symptoms--trials of a dozen different types of drugs, cognitive behavioural therapy, nutrition-focused psychiatry, neurofeedback treatments in North York, trauma-focused therapy, EMDR, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, ketamine therapy in Mississauga, meditation, yoga and more. I am currently in the fifth month of an incredibly severe depressive episode and my quality of life is such that I feel I need to try a therapy I have been researching for a couple years that has been around since 1986 and which has come a long way since then. The therapy is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) which is a non-invasive, FDA-cleared procedure that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in brain areas associated with mood regulation. It is used for patients who have not found relief from medication, with about 65-70% of treatment-resistant depression patients experiencing significant relief. This therapy is showing promise as a new way to approach the treatment of depression which previously has been more commonly addressed through a combination of therapy and medication, and not often adequately so. TMS therapy is already covered by some insurance providers in the U.S. so it is being recognized more widely as a valid and impactful treatment. There isn't a guarantee that I will respond to the treatment but I feel I have no other choice at this point except to try and see. The treatment costs $8000 + tax and having paid for many therapies + travel costs out of pocket in the past, I'm humbly hoping that crowd funding can allow some financial relief for part of the cost of this treatment.