Traumatic Brain Injury & Breast Cancer

Update: On December 8, Heidi had another cancer-related surgery completed. She is doing well, resting and healing. The funds from this campaign are helping her do so with peace of mind. She is immensely grateful and deeply touched by the support!

I am making this Go Fund Me page for my sister, Heidi Thompson, who had a cascade of calamities that began in January 2020 when she slipped and fell on the ice resulting in whiplash and a concussion. She missed three months of work but continued to have symptoms from the fall. In March 2021, the doctor accidentally punctured her colon during a routine colonoscopy, resulting in an emergency colon resection surgery. She was hospitalized for four days and missed six weeks of work. Then, in January 2022, she suffered a knee injury that required six months of rehabilitation after surgery, during which time she could not perform her job. In July, she was diagnosed with breast cancer that required a double mastectomy. A week after that diagnosis, she caught Covid-19. Before her breast cancer surgery in August, she was let go from her job of 21 years for missing too much work and lost her health insurance. She has not received a livable wage for ten months, and her long-term disability was denied.

Before the fall, she spent her time downhill and cross-country skiing and hiking; she was in good shape and enjoyed the outdoors. As someone with medical training and an extensive understanding of the human body, she has taken an active role in her recovery. Her symptoms persist despite having over 75 physical therapy sessions. While she was still working, she was debt-free, financially responsible, and putting 25% of her income into her 401K. Now, with her mounting medical and other bills, she’s burdened with both credit and medical debt, which without a job, she has no way to pay. This Go Fund Me will help her recover from medical bills, pay rent, and help pay for her continued treatment and upcoming cancer-related surgery.