Truth vs. Tumor: Brain Surgery Recovery Fund

Six months ago while waiting at a red light to pick up Christmas gifts, I was struck from behind by a driver who fled the scene. The accident left me with a cracked shoulder, torn labrum, whiplash, migraines, and debilitating pain that prevented me from walking (even WITH medication) until Christmas Eve, missing many opportunities including celebrating the one-year anniversary of co-working space CultureHUB. I’m still in physical therapy and will be for some time…and that’s been the easy part.

Two days after the accident, I went to the ER as a precautionary measure and was informed that I have a growth at the base of my brain. The growth is large enough that it presses against my optic nerve and, had it not been detected, could have caused irreversible vision damage. 

This period has been difficult. Physical challenges and limitations combined with the memory lapses, loss of energy and struggles to recall names, specific words when speaking, dizziness and more have been overwhelming at times. Tasks such as writing posts like this that previously took 15 minutes or less to write now take hours. Over the last six months I’ve spent more days at doctor’s offices, giving blood draws, eye exams and a litany of other testing than I’ve spent at CultureHUB. All signs and tests point to surgery as the next step. My health circumstances and required regimen of doctor visits, MRIs, physical therapy, and more have prevented me from running the day-to-day activities since the accident and will continue to do so until this fall at the earliest, putting CultureHUB at risk of shutting down. 

I wasn’t going to say anything until a journalist friend reminded me that the purpose always is more important than the person. I was forced to confront myself: every step of the way I’ve said CultureHUB is bigger than myself, but I’m going to struggle in silence? CultureHUB’s front doors DO read “no egos allowed”, right?

So, here I am. My entire life I’ve worked on and with causes and events that give back to many communities and now I am asking those communities for help while I battle and recover. In order to sustain CultureHUB until my recovery I am working to raise funds to cover expenses while I recover from my procedure (anticipated recovery time is 3-6 months), including hiring two trustworthy individuals to handle day-to-day operations within the space. Thank you for your help!