She kept the pharmacy open when we needed it most — now it’s our turn.

For over 20 years, Zsuzsanna Biran has been the quiet, steady presence behind the counter at West Marin Pharmacy in Point Reyes. She's the kind of person who makes you feel instantly cared for — warm, wise, and deeply rooted in this community. Many of us have walked into the pharmacy with worries and walked out with reassurance, thanks to her kindness.

What most people don’t know is that during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic — when the world was shutting down and uncertainty gripped every household — Zsuzsanna made a bold and selfless decision.

She could have closed the doors and waited it out.

Instead, she took out two large loans (including a $500,000 SBA loan) so the pharmacy could stay open and serve the community. She didn’t lay off a single staff member. When masks and hand sanitizer were impossible to find, she sourced them, made them, and gave them out. In a time of fear, she was a beacon of calm.

Because of Zsuzsanna, West Marin had uninterrupted access to medicine and health advice throughout the pandemic.

But now, as she retires, the bill has come due.

Though she kept the pharmacy running for all of us, the sale of the business fell through, and the terms of her loan mean she is personally responsible for the full amount. With no proceeds from a sale, and no debt forgiveness, Zsuzsanna now faces 30 years of $3,000 monthly payments — essentially her entire Social Security income — just to pay off the loan she took for us.

We think that’s backwards.

She showed up for us. Now it’s our turn.

Let’s come together as a community and lift this weight off Zsuzsanna’s shoulders. Help her retire in peace and dignity, knowing that her sacrifice was not in vain.