For Wanda

To make a really long story short, I am raising money for my aunt, Wanda. I call her my aunt, because technically she is... But for means of understanding, my aunt Wanda is more of a mother to me. When my brother and I were children, our parents were unable to care for us due to substance abuse. My entire childhood was full of chaos and letdown. The only constant was Wanda. Eventually DCF became involved, and my aunt took my brother and myself in without question. I was 13 years old; my brother was 7 and we finally had something that we never had before: somewhere safe; somewhere we could finally call home. My life came to a stop in 2012, when my aunt stopped acting like herself. She wasn't outgoing, had no energy, and lost interest in almost everything she loved. When we finally got her to the hospital, we found out that she had a very rare kidney disease that caused end stage kidney failure. She was in the hospital for seven weeks. The disease effected her blood pressure and heart and landed her in the ICU. This was one of the hardest times of my life; watching someone who saved your life seem so helpless to save her own. But then, a miracle happened. She responded to dialysis, and was released, but this wasn't without a price. My aunt's life changed with her illness. She now does dialysis 3-4 times a day, and is very limited by this. She continued to work full time as a paraprofessional to continue to do what she does best: help every child see the best in themselves no matter the circumstances. Life was almost norm again, until recently when she suffered from a stroke due to issues caused by her blood platelets/kidneys. She is home now, but still in the process of recovering. She lost some of her visual abilities, and still has trouble with her energy levels and therefore is unable to work at this time.

My aunt never gives up, and I know part of her will to hold on belongs to her family. I'm 26 now, and have grown to be someone who I would have never been if she hadn't stepped in and raised me. My aunt saved my life and is one of the first people that showed me what it is to be loved unconditionally. I do what I can, but our family isn't one that comes from money. I am raising money to assist my aunt until she is well enough to return to work and/or retire. I know times are tough for everyone, but you can ask anyone to describe my aunt and I would bet any money in the world that they would describe her as the most selfless person that they know. I am asking for help for the woman who has helped so many. Any contribution is a great help. Thank you, and please share.