Hi, I’m Michelle, and asking for help isn’t something that comes easy to me. But when you’re living with a progressive disease and life keeps throwing endless roadblocks your way, sometimes asking is all you can try to do.

I’m a disabled mother doing everything I can to take care of myself and my disabled family of four. I’ve been battling Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for years, along with other health conditions that affect my memory, mood, energy, and overall quality of life. It’s a daily struggle on its own, but I keep going because I know I have people who depend on me—and I love them more than anything. Beyond my responsibilities, I also want to live as normal a life as possible despite my illness and limitations. Those in a similar boat, fighting their own battles, know what I mean—haha.

We’ve barely been scraping by. One of our cars has been in the shop for years, it demands repairs before it’s safe to drive again. Our only working vehicle is functional but needs attention soon for small things like an oil change. Unfortunately and Ideally, we need to keep it at home for my immediate access, especially as I search for a job and in case of any medical emergencies.

This situation does severely limit our ability to earn more income. My two kids do what they can to help cover bills, food, and necessities, but we’ve been relying solely on my disability income and one of their part-time jobs. It’s hard to make any real progress. Living in a rural area adds to the burden—just paying for gas, medication co-pays, hygiene essentials, and utilities like electricity, heating, and ensuring we have filtered drinking water (due to harsh minerals and sulfur in our tap) stretches us financially thin, even with budgeting.

My previous disability-aid equipment had reached the end of its life and was no longer safe enough for me to keep working. Before that, I used to work with children in local schools through the PEAK program in Delevan, Pekin, and Morton. One of my happiest memories—aside from teaching and doing hands-on science projects with the kids—was taking our summer school classes to local water parks at the end of the week. It brought me so much joy to see them being active and happy, and I miss it deeply.

After a long wait and finally getting the right insurance to cover it, I now have a new walker and wheelchair that make being mobile much easier than my old, broken equipment. With that, I’ve been working on completing the requirements to become a substitute teacher. I want to give back to the community, and I hope to earn enough to repay the kindness of those who’ve supported me through the years—I just need help getting there.

Funds raised here will go directly toward covering my medications, essential bills, and helping me reach my goal of returning to work as a substitute teacher. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to anyone who takes the time to read even a small part of my story.

Any donation—or even just sharing this page—would mean the world to me.

With love and gratitude,

Michelle P.