Medical Care Fundraising
The main picture is me in bed where I spend most of my life. My name is Alice Woolf and
I'm 32. I became ill with a flu-like virus during the summer of 2001 while in
Italy studying for my languages degree. Month after month I experienced disabling
symptoms including weakness, crippling fatigue, night sweats, and vertigo. I
was eventually diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), a misunderstood, little known illness. Imagine
having the world's worst flu along with brutal sleep deprivation, a hang-over,
and jet lag"”all at the same time. Nothing ever looks better in the morning.
Instead, every morning I face another long, housebound, bedridden day of
physical suffering, boredom, loneliness, and isolation. I suffer constantly with heart palpitations, breathlessness, severe widespread pain, migraines, and terrible exhaustion.
The good news is that progress has been made in understanding CFS. If some of
my conditions including leaky gut, adrenal fatigue, fibromyalgia, orthostatic
hypotension were properly addressed I would have a chance to heal and recover.
There's a clinic near London (where I live), the Breakspear Medical Group that
does the types of testing and treatment that I need. This clinic tests and
treats food intolerances, GI issues, viruses/bacteria and Candida, nutritional
deficiencies, hormone replacement (adrenal/thyroid), environmental toxicities,
and more.
I have not been able to benefit from these treatments because the
health system in the UK doesn't offer them. I currently live on state benefits,
which barely covers food and rent. There have been times that I've stopped
dreaming for a future in which I can actually live, but now I believe that with
your help and generosity I can have my life back.
My goal is to raise ₤ 7000 (around $11,000), which
would allow me to get proper testing and treatment for my health conditions so
that I can recover, and live again.
With your generosity I plan to use my BA and a post grad in Italian translation
to work and live again. I picture my life in a year"”after receiving the
treatment I need, I'll be working, shopping, doing yoga and exercising, going
to church. Please help me live again. Every penny I receive will go exclusively
to medical treatment.
Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.
For my American friends 1 British pound sterling = 1.6158 US dollars