Some love for Samantha Fera

This campaign is to help raise money for Samantha Fera. She is a single mom who worked hard to graduate from college then find herself full time work at, what was then, Algoma Steel.  She saved up and was able to finally purchase a home for herself and her son.   In the fall of 2006, Samantha  began to develop strange symptoms that included loss of vision, loss of memory and paralysis in her face. She was diagnosed as having Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare side effect to the flu shot. The symptoms progressed to the point that her speech and mobility were affected.  “This is a neurological condition that causes weakness and paralysis throughout the body.  The body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. These symptoms can increase in intensity until certain muscles cannot be used at all and, when severe, the person is almost totally paralyzed. In these cases the disorder is life threatening - potentially interfering with breathing and, at times, with blood pressure or heart rate - and is considered a medical emergency.   ”

Sam’s case was extreme and she was air-lifted to Thunder Bay to undergo neurological treatment. It seemed she was on the road to recovery but, sadly, upon returning home she developed a brain infection that left her wracked with tremors and affected her balance and ability to walk.  The prognosis was dire and it was feared that she would never walk again.  They said she would be confined to a wheelchair.  Sam said no, that she would walk again, and she did.  They told her that she would never be able to walk without the aid of a walker.  She said “Yes, I will” and she did.  Samantha’s ultimate goal was to get back to work.  And she did, on more than one occasion but constant pain from the nerve damage she had suffered made sitting down for long periods unbearable.   She ended up having to have surgery on neck to have some rods put in to stabilize her discs.   The final blow came when after repeated trips to the hospital, she was diagnosed with Frontal Lobe Atrophy.    That is a reduction in the size of the frontal lobe.  As it progresses, the patient develops planning, emotional regulation, movement and critical thinking impairments and eventually movement disorders, shaking, moving slowly and difficulty with fine motor tasks.   There is no cure for this disease and Sam will get progressively worse.   She is no longer able to work, uses a walker and has trouble speaking.   She has lost her house and is now living in an apartment with her son.   Sam is struggling to cover the expenses of care for herself and for her son. She has been dealt a tragic hand but through it all is upbeat, and positive. She manages to feel for everyone  and every creature around her. The disease and hardship has not managed to put out the light she has.

We are hoping to help Sam and her son with living expenses and perhaps a little bit of Christmas Cheer. We thank you in advance for any monetary assistance you can provide to help alleviate some of the worry for Sam and her son. Thanks!