Judy's Left Foot
Donation protected
1/25/19 UPDATE. Judy is getting fitted for her braces this week! Hooray! An ankle replacement is likely but this comes first. 
12/18 UPDATE: WOW, this has been incredible. Together, we have raised $15k in less than two weeks. On the 11th day, we hit our goal. I love seeing so much care and appreciation for Judy in the world. She says it's been a profound lesson in learning to receive. The truth is, it's so often much harder to receive than give. This money is going to do a lot, creating more and better options for Judy's left foot. As things unfold over the coming weeks and months, I will post an update every now and then. There's lots of hope for less pain and more mobility for Judy. Thank you all.
JUDY’S LEFT FOOT
Thirty-nine years ago, I got the call. My best friend Judy was in critical condition. She had been in a devastating off-roading accident in which her legs were crushed, pinned in deep mud under a rolled truck, for hours. My vibrant, athletic, dance-all-night friend was likely to lose her legs, especially as a bone-eating infection set in. She was 23.
I camped out in Judy’s hospital room, washed her hair in a pan and held her hand when the nurses changed her bandages – but I was not the caregiver. Judy sought growth and meaning in the pain, loss, and sudden uncertainty. She, somehow, began to glow in a new way. Her glow grew and touched everyone who came into range. Her hospital room became magnetic.
Fast-forward 39 years and 22 surgeries. Judy is a very amazing woman. She has mindfully developed that inner-glow and put it to work. As a therapist, a healer and a wise-woman, Judy is no stranger to pain, and also more open to joy than anyone I know. She has dedicated her career to helping others, and now she needs our help.
Judy, and her legs (minus one knee that was replaced a few years ago), are in their early 60s. Her legs have served valiantly for much longer than anyone expected, but they’re done. Judy’s mobility has deteriorated. Her pain, always present, has increased. Amputation of her left foot is imminent and the outcome is very uncertain. Unless.
There is another way. It’s a military-designed prosthetic/orthotic brace - a much better option than amputation - but it’s expensive and not covered by insurance. Which is where this GoFundMe campaign comes in. Info about this amazing new technology is linked at the bottom of this page.
Judy needs $20,000 to save her limbs yet again, by getting the ankle brace and two knee extensions. If we can raise part of the money, she can get the treatment she needs. With the prosthetic/orthotic braces, Judy can expect to live pain-free for the first time in decades, and with greatly enhanced mobility. And here’s one thing I know for sure – a donation toward Judy’s care is a gift that is sure to ripple wide and far.
Whatever you can give - Judy pledges to “pay it forward” with volunteer work that makes a difference. She already loves to volunteer at Portland Public Schools, the Japanese Garden and the Art Museum, but has had to curtail those activities because of mobility issues. With her new braces, she will re-commit to her community. Even bigger – Judy completed training to be a mental health ‘first responder’ during disasters and crises and hopes to do international volunteer work with the International Rescue Committee, bringing crisis counseling to those in dire need.
Please give what you can, even if it’s just a few dollars, to help Judy avoid amputation. Her doctors want her to begin the treatment immediately, as in by the end of 2018, but she needs to know she can afford it. Waiting is dangerous as her knees and ankle are deteriorating quickly. The sooner she is stabilized, the better her chances for a good outcome.
If you’re interested, here’s more information about the treatment. http://www.hangerclinic.com/bracing-support/adult-le/pages/limb-salvage-Exosym.aspx
Thank you all. Judy wants me to express how vast and deep her gratitude is. There are really no words for it except thank you, thank you, thank you.
12/18 UPDATE: WOW, this has been incredible. Together, we have raised $15k in less than two weeks. On the 11th day, we hit our goal. I love seeing so much care and appreciation for Judy in the world. She says it's been a profound lesson in learning to receive. The truth is, it's so often much harder to receive than give. This money is going to do a lot, creating more and better options for Judy's left foot. As things unfold over the coming weeks and months, I will post an update every now and then. There's lots of hope for less pain and more mobility for Judy. Thank you all.
JUDY’S LEFT FOOT
Thirty-nine years ago, I got the call. My best friend Judy was in critical condition. She had been in a devastating off-roading accident in which her legs were crushed, pinned in deep mud under a rolled truck, for hours. My vibrant, athletic, dance-all-night friend was likely to lose her legs, especially as a bone-eating infection set in. She was 23.
I camped out in Judy’s hospital room, washed her hair in a pan and held her hand when the nurses changed her bandages – but I was not the caregiver. Judy sought growth and meaning in the pain, loss, and sudden uncertainty. She, somehow, began to glow in a new way. Her glow grew and touched everyone who came into range. Her hospital room became magnetic.
Fast-forward 39 years and 22 surgeries. Judy is a very amazing woman. She has mindfully developed that inner-glow and put it to work. As a therapist, a healer and a wise-woman, Judy is no stranger to pain, and also more open to joy than anyone I know. She has dedicated her career to helping others, and now she needs our help.
Judy, and her legs (minus one knee that was replaced a few years ago), are in their early 60s. Her legs have served valiantly for much longer than anyone expected, but they’re done. Judy’s mobility has deteriorated. Her pain, always present, has increased. Amputation of her left foot is imminent and the outcome is very uncertain. Unless.
There is another way. It’s a military-designed prosthetic/orthotic brace - a much better option than amputation - but it’s expensive and not covered by insurance. Which is where this GoFundMe campaign comes in. Info about this amazing new technology is linked at the bottom of this page.
Judy needs $20,000 to save her limbs yet again, by getting the ankle brace and two knee extensions. If we can raise part of the money, she can get the treatment she needs. With the prosthetic/orthotic braces, Judy can expect to live pain-free for the first time in decades, and with greatly enhanced mobility. And here’s one thing I know for sure – a donation toward Judy’s care is a gift that is sure to ripple wide and far.
Whatever you can give - Judy pledges to “pay it forward” with volunteer work that makes a difference. She already loves to volunteer at Portland Public Schools, the Japanese Garden and the Art Museum, but has had to curtail those activities because of mobility issues. With her new braces, she will re-commit to her community. Even bigger – Judy completed training to be a mental health ‘first responder’ during disasters and crises and hopes to do international volunteer work with the International Rescue Committee, bringing crisis counseling to those in dire need.
Please give what you can, even if it’s just a few dollars, to help Judy avoid amputation. Her doctors want her to begin the treatment immediately, as in by the end of 2018, but she needs to know she can afford it. Waiting is dangerous as her knees and ankle are deteriorating quickly. The sooner she is stabilized, the better her chances for a good outcome.
If you’re interested, here’s more information about the treatment. http://www.hangerclinic.com/bracing-support/adult-le/pages/limb-salvage-Exosym.aspx
Thank you all. Judy wants me to express how vast and deep her gratitude is. There are really no words for it except thank you, thank you, thank you.
Organizer and beneficiary
Miriam Garcia
Organizer
Portland, OR
judy zehr
Beneficiary
