A new leg to stand on...

Hello all,

I am writing this on behalf of my long-time friend Craig Read. We have been good friends since the mid '90s when I lived & went to high school in Montreal, but have since moved back to Toronto. We've gone through a lot with our likes and shared moments. He recently lost his mother due to health issues and now only has his dad to help him (who is retired himself). I do my best to talk to him via text or phone calls or online gaming and unfortunately is where we come to. We all have tough times in helping out, but it's something I am hoping that he can count on the kindness of strangers to help him out of a situation he can't help himself with.

The reason for this GoFundMe project is that the Quebec government (which does have health care system in place) will not help Craig at this moment as it's a non-life threatning disease. Waiting for them would set him further back and right now this is the best option for him.

He has an ailment where he has been in an out of the hospital for, but now has him pretty much kept him inside most of his days. As you can see he has an issue with his leg which requires treatment in order to bring down the swelling through a procedure called "Lymphatic Drainage". This is a complication of the Pulmonary Embolism he had 4 years ago as the blood clot originated in his left leg and damaged the blood vessels in his left leg resulting in the issues he has today. Last year it almost cost him getting his leg amputated not once but twice. He managed to avoid that fate but the resulting damage is where he sits now.

He has issues walking. And although if you speak to him he tries to hide it as he feels embarrassed & ashamed of the situation which is beyond his control. His pain level is at an all-time high where he can barely get any sleep as the pain pretty much keeps him awake. Usually most nights he only manages to get a few hours sleep and I know this as it seems he is always available when I text him... Even when I work the over night graveyard shift... Craig is quick to reply to my messages.

Craig is on medical right now which doesn't provide him much in the income department. It barely makes ends meet for bare necessities and even then he can't get things he needs as its costly as he requires modified clothing. For example, he told me because of the swelling in his left foot, a pair of shoes/boots would cost him $350 + tax because they would have to made especially for his ailment. With what money me might have left every month, it would virtually impossible to raise any money for himself to save for the whole treatment on his own.

I thought I could start a GOFUNDME campaign to help raise some money for this treatment as the winter season is around the corner. If anyone knows Montreal, winters can get pretty bad and I wouldn't want Craig to get stuck inside for the whole winter.

Craig has met with the Specialist named Michel Eid who is an expert in Lymphatic Drainage in all of Canada and Eastern USA. He's been told he requires 6 weeks of daily treatment.
•$135/day
•$675/week
•$4,050 for treatment
•$350-400 for bandages and wraps.

Six weeks of treatment and supplies will cost Craig a better part of $4,500.00 that doesn't include gas driving back and forth (+/- 70km drive each day)

I am looking to raise $4500 to help him get the treatment he so desperately needs. I will definitely be helping out in this matter as I know if the tables were turned he would do the same for me.

I now ask you; be it a close friend, an old colleague or ex-coworker or a gamer that has played with Craig (known as APACHE or APACHE N4SIR in the gaming communities - Xbox Microsoft / EA Origins). Please have a great heart and help a great person who is looking to not only get this ailment out of his life, but try to resume a normal way of life where he can walk up and down a flight of stairs (or just a couple) without having to think about it. We all take walking up stairs or bending their leg for without thinking about it. Craig is one that can't bend his leg far enough to do that very action that we all take for granted.

I am hoping this campaign can impact him by providing him with the money needed to change his life for the better. Also allowing him to go on longer walks with Joey his service dog without being restricted like he is today. Michel Eid has told Craig that the treatment he has for Craig, he will be able to reduce the swelling & drainage so that his left leg will resemble his right.

After Craig has successfully tackled this hurdle in his life he can fulfill his promise to marry his long-time girlfriend and prove to himself he is able to make something out of it and make his fiancé & both his mother and father proud.