A Big Heart

*I don't know how to use this well but last week you buggers raised my rent. I have no fucking words. Thank you, thank you. My quiet profile is all to do with reducing stress, despite the obvious stressor of not drawing income. I have no words to explain how did I hit the jackpot of you.

(NB. I can't reset the target to $0 so you'll just have to imagine the $3700 from the old one is actually the starting line). Many of you won't be aware that a few weeks ago Sarah was admitted to hospital in hypertensive crisis (a condition that causes heart attack or stroke without immediate intervention). She has been in emergency and critical care as well as having sustained some minor damage to her heart that will require medication and observation for the rest of her life, as well as lots of rest as the medications until stabilised. She's also not been able to sustain visitors or perform a lot of really minor tasks, let alone go back to work.

Given the nature of what happened she has needed private treatment, specialists, and has been left with what I know is over four figures in medical bills, is struggled with cleaning and cooking, and that's on top of the recent burglary at her house. But of course...she's not broadcasting it.

Putting this out there to anyone who might want to surprise her and help her recovery be a little easier by assisting with medical fees, perhaps organising a cleaner to visit, or replace a few items from the robbery in August. I can't reset the target to $0 so you'll just have to imagine $3700 is actually the starting line. Feel free to share/message me etc. but maybe try and block her if it's on social media!

Jo.

[email redacted]


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So my amazing friend Sarah Heald made a pretty hefty personal and financial sacrifice to fight for women's rights in Australia over the last eighteen months (and amongst a lot of other things it cost her, was the chance to see The Cure on Thursday which is a gig she had waited 25 years to see...as anyone subject to her social media excitement was aware!).

In the aim to protect the new protest exclusion zones at fertility clinics in Tasmania and finally get a successful prosecution against religious protesters who were breaking the law by intimidating women entering the clinic, she put herself forward as a determined primary complainant and then prosecution witness that has now helped set a precedent for maintaining the integrity of the exclusion zone outside fertility clinics in Australia.

Her testimony was taken by the court to be faithful to what occurred after an extremely traumatic attempt to distress her, to discredit her complaint. The defendants' multiple legal representatives even attempted to pursue having Sarah charged for recording the very conversations and techniques they consistently denied they were implementing to distress women at the clinic entrance.

This process affected her health, diminished some of her work options, and she did not have representation against a team of highly qualified lawyers representing the very strong religious interests and financial resources of the anti-abortion "pro life" protesters. Everything since September 2015 has come out of her own pocket, meant unpaid leave, exacerbated a previous medical condition, and caused considerable stress that due to the sensitive nature of the case outcome she's kept admirably quiet about until it was over. This week the defendants Graham John Preston, as well as Mr & Mrs Stallard were all found guilty (see link below) which is the first time there was enough evidence to result in a conviction.

Her flights and accommodation on Thursday were prepaid and non-refundable. I'm trying to force her hand to set up a crowd funding page to at LEAST just get her to Perth and go and see The Cure for a start -  if not also consider accepting a contribution to her lack of income and costs.

She bloody deserves it.

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/scales-of-justice/queensland-prolifer-john-graham-preston-fined-3000-for-protesting-outside-hobart-abortion-clinic/news-story/cdf3aef333e954af03bcdde9b063e6d7