Danica Vanderwerff Emergency Medical Benefit

Hi, My name is Dawn Strumbel of Horizon Poodles, and I am a close friend of Danica and her family. We are starting this fundraiser to help Danica and her family pay mounting expenses during a life threatening medical emergency that has left Danica in the ICU since December 2. 2022. This fundraiser has been directly approved by her family and the money goes directly to the benefit account that her mother, Joleen, set up for Danica. This is why it lists Joleen as the beneficiary if anyone is concerned. I have talked directly to the banker.

Danica is a professional dog groomer at Castleton Vet in Fargo, ND, and has 2 children. She is also an avid dog show person, both showing and breeding miniature poodles as Acina Poodles. Many of you may know her as my frequent assistant at local shows, and for all the poodle people out there, as my close friend and helper at Poodle Club of America. From the color matches, the grooming competition, and through the rest of the show week she is always there to lend a hand. She is a friend when you need a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen to when you have had a rough day, or a helping hand when things get tough. She is always willing to help. She can makes you smile and laugh with her quick wit and her entertaining real life stories. Recently, Danica and her young daughter, have also started showing chihuahuas with another of our dog show family, and has been having great fun and success as well.

On Dec 2, 2022, Danica was taken by ambulance to the hospital in Fargo, because she was having severe difficulty breathing. She was immediately sedated and intubated and placed on a ventilator because of life threateningly low oxygen levels, and large amounts of fluid in her lungs. She has remained sedated, paralyzed, and intubated on a ventilator since 12/2 in ICU, hopefully to allow her damaged lungs to start healing. Unfortunately, in the last 3 weeks there have been set backs which included another respiratory infection, and roller coaster oxygen pressures and levels, plus feeding tube issues, all preventing the doctors from performing a tracheostomy. The latest update this week brought some positive news with ICU being able to reduce her ventilator pressures and oxygen levels and doctors are hoping to perform her tracheostomy sometime mid week if she stays stable.

While this is positive news, Danica still has a very long road to recovery. She will need extensive physical and respiratory rehab in long term care. It will take time to hopefully wean her off the vent with her tracheostomy, and an unknown length of time for physical rehab as well.

Her 2 children are currently living with Danica's parents and her extended dog family are taking care of her beloved dogs, but we are asking for your help. She has no income without grooming, which also provides her health insurance. Her family is doing everything they can to care and provide for her children and pay Danica'a home, personal, and mounting medical expenses. But it is a lot. We are asking our vast dog show family, friends, clients, and acquaintances for any help that they can give to help Danica and her family with this unexpected burden during this difficult time. Please donate and share!

If you would rather send a check, an account has been set up by the family. Send checks to:

Danica Vanderwerff Benefit

610 2nd Ave S

Leonard, ND 58052-4013