My name is Jasmine Bockus. I'm an 18 year old aspiring artist.

Last year around March/April, I went on vacation with my father to The Philippines for a month to visit family. But boy, did I love it here. I decided to stay for what I THOUGHT was going to be two more months.

But my father and family are going through very difficult financial problems. It's now a year and 3-4 months later and I'm still here.

A lot of problems have made me want to go home, but lack of money has made it nearly impossible.

Recently I've become sick with a LOT of small gallstones. I spent a couple days in the hospital on an IV. They are giving me meds to try and dissolves the stones. They still think I should get it removed surgically, but they don't want it done here. They want me to get it done back home in the US where it will be a safer procedure and won't leave such bad scars.

So they're putting me on medication for helping to level it out and desolve it until I am able to get it removed. I NEED to get it removed as I already had signs of obstructive Jaundice, which is failure of the liver. If I don't get rid of them, It could come back even worse.

So I started this in hopes I can help raise money for my plane ticket home. With extra for my hospital bill. Anything you are able to give will help. And I thank you with all my heart, truly.