Help Christine Pedi Stabilize Her Vision

If you are part of the theater community, then there is a very good chance that you know and love Christine Pedi. You probably also know that Pedi has been slowly losing her vision over the years. If you have ever seen Christine on stage, laughed at her YouTube videos, marveled at her impressions, or enjoyed her on Sirius Radio, then you know her talents are unparalleled. And when you get to know her, you soon realize, the only thing bigger than her talent is her heart.

As most can attest, Christine always shows up to support and help her beloved community, and now we have a chance to support and help Pedi.

Christine has the opportunity to go to the prestigious Mayo Clinic to help her possibly stabilize some of the continued vision loss. This could be a game changer for our wonderful friend and colleague. Unfortunately, her insurance doesn't cover this. She needs to cover the expenses herself and needs roughly 20k to do so.

So I'm asking you all to join me in rallying around one of the greatest dames in our community and donate anything you can to help send Christine Pedi to the Mayo Clinic.

Here is a note from Christine----

As many of you may know, I have been losing my vision steadily over the past decade. Tho technically “legally blind,” I still have some small patches of very clear vision in my remaining good eye but we’ve not been able to stabilize my vision, which is a major goal of mine.

Losing vision little by little, every few days, slowly and constantly, puts you in a never ending place of grief. Having to constantly say “goodbye” to things you can no longer see or tasks you can no longer do. Saying “goodbye” to vital things that make me a performer is rather heartbreaking…and ongoing. Even though I am constantly pivoting and finding new ways to deal with the constant changes and challenges, the stress of going blind has left me with daily trauma & anxiety. On top of the myopic retinal degeneration and glaucoma, there are several other health issues, which are now chronic, that may be connected both to the medication I’m on and to the stress I’m under.

There is an opportunity for me to go to the Mayo Clinic where, through their integrative approach to healthcare, I’m hopeful they can help determine what’s happening to my body and hopefully stabilize my vision.

My health insurance is not valid out of New York State so I have to cover all costs out of pocket, which is, of course, impossible. I don’t work nearly as much as I used to due to my diminished ability to navigate a stage swiftly (although I CAN do shows with simple uncomplex blocking). So, I’m trying to raise a minimum of $20,000 for the costs of the Mayo Clinic. If any funds are left over, I will donate back to Broadway Cares and The Entertainment Community Fund, organizations that have been so helpful to me and my colleagues in the arts.

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Please join me in supporting Christine Pedi - giving her a chance to reclaim her vision and life.