Brooke's Journey 2 Healing
Donation protected
I am creating this Go Fund me account to help support my cousin, Brooke Sutton. Brooke is currently in a fight for her life as she waits to get the call that there is a compatable liver donor. Her battle began 10 years ago. At the age of 22, Brooke was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. For a young person, just starting her life, this was devastating news! The doctor immediately put her on weekly injections to suppress the progressive development of the disease. Brooke never experienced further symptoms. At age 27, she was told she had been misdiagnosed, and never had the disease. During this period, Brooke had been going out with her friends and consuming adult beverages. She did not realize the damaging effects the combination of alcohol and the injections were having on her liver. At age 30, her health took a drastic turn that resulted in rapid weight loss, loss of appetite, gall stones, memory loss, and disgestive issues. Over the past 2 years, Brooke has been hospitalized over 10 times, for extended periods, as she has received multiple blood transfusions, stomach taps, and MRIs. It took a year of dealing with these medical complications before Brooke was finally given a cause for her deteriorating health- her liver. She has now been put on the transplant list and has began the pre-transplant process to prepare her body for this very invasive, but life-saving, surgery. Brooke has to attend appointments 3 to 4 times a week with the various doctors on her liver transplant team. She is on 12 different medications that need to be filled once a month. She is in need of a root canal and other costly dental work that needs to be addressed as soon as possible to prevent her from losing her tooth. Brooke tried to continue working through it all, but it was too taxing on her body to be able to keep up with the long hours on her feet in the salon. She is currently doing hair for her friends and family to try and earn money to cover the cost of medicine, gas, and food. Her disability has run out and social security has denied her any financial assistance. She has appealed their decision, but it could take up to 6 more months to hear the outcome. She is getting $195 a month in food stamps. The irony is the doctors have her on a strict diet, full of Ensure shakes, fresh fruit & vegetables, and whole foods. This is financially burdening to eat as her body needs on $195 a month. Brooke is 32 years old, living with a 5 year life sentence. She has solid faith that God will provide and see her through this. Nevertheless, when she gets the call that they have a liver for her, she needs to be as healthy as possible. Your donation will help take some financial pressure off Brooke so that she can exert all her energy into preparing her body for the surgery.
Organizer and beneficiary
Lindsay Sutton
Organizer
El Cajon, CA
Brooke Sutton
Beneficiary