Help Des With Urgent Mental Health Treatment
Donation protected
CW/TW: discussion of suicide
:
:
:
Dese'Rae L. Stage is the founder of Live Through This, a series of portraits and stories of suicide attempt survivors that elevates their voices and shows the true faces of suicide—the ones you know and don't even realize you know. Des has been doing this work for over a decade, and her work is nationally recognized. All advocates need support at some point. When others have been in need, Des has stepped up—without question.
Now, this amazing advocate needs our help to raise funds for her immediate inpatient treatment. She needs wrap-around support. Unfortunately, health insurance does not cover the kind of trauma-informed inpatient treatment Des needs, and many of these programs require large payments upfront.
Things started to deteriorate for Des in October 2020 and continued to spiral downward this April to now. It's a long, sordid story that includes the death of a parent during the pandemic and the inability to grieve with family; behavior by stalkers that made her fearful her family was in danger; the stress of working through an MSW program in a pandemic; the prescription of high doses of ADHD medications that had adverse effects on her; and raising two toddlers while studying and doing advocacy work full-time.
This brings us to today: Des is experiencing a suicidal crisis. She's been in crisis for weeks now. After five years of not cutting, she's cutting herself again, and it's worse than it ever was. She's been suicidal and attempted suicide three times. Des has been surrounded at all times by her supportive family and friends, many of whom are crisis professionals. The goal has always been to keep her out of a hospitalization situation that could further traumatize her; it's become clear, however, that the emergency is bigger than anyone initially understood and something more comprehensive is necessary immediately.
Des's supports, some of whom are leaders in the mental health field, are currently screening potential programs taking Des's needs into account. Financial assistance will help her access appropriate treatment; some potential approaches include evidence-based treatments like Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicide (CAMS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and/or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
The goal is currently set at $45,000 to cover a four to six-week residential treatment program, processing fees set by banks (2.9%), and support for her family with childcare and follow-up outpatient treatment. Throughout this crisis, Des has sought therapy 2-4 times weekly, and out of pocket; the family was already under extreme financial stress. This is an unforeseen financial emergency the family does not have the resources to cover.
We love Des, her wife, and her two toddlers. Des deserves care that will help her heal and return home to her family—and return to herself. A donation of any amount is one we would be so grateful for, and if you can't donate (we understand!), please share.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER: Anastasia Fujii is a close family friend and is organizing this fundraiser with the help of those who are a part of Des’s community of support. Thanks specifically to Taylar Neuvelle, Lena Heilmann, Dave Jobes, and Jess Stohlmann-Rainey.
:
:
:
Dese'Rae L. Stage is the founder of Live Through This, a series of portraits and stories of suicide attempt survivors that elevates their voices and shows the true faces of suicide—the ones you know and don't even realize you know. Des has been doing this work for over a decade, and her work is nationally recognized. All advocates need support at some point. When others have been in need, Des has stepped up—without question.
Now, this amazing advocate needs our help to raise funds for her immediate inpatient treatment. She needs wrap-around support. Unfortunately, health insurance does not cover the kind of trauma-informed inpatient treatment Des needs, and many of these programs require large payments upfront.
Things started to deteriorate for Des in October 2020 and continued to spiral downward this April to now. It's a long, sordid story that includes the death of a parent during the pandemic and the inability to grieve with family; behavior by stalkers that made her fearful her family was in danger; the stress of working through an MSW program in a pandemic; the prescription of high doses of ADHD medications that had adverse effects on her; and raising two toddlers while studying and doing advocacy work full-time.
This brings us to today: Des is experiencing a suicidal crisis. She's been in crisis for weeks now. After five years of not cutting, she's cutting herself again, and it's worse than it ever was. She's been suicidal and attempted suicide three times. Des has been surrounded at all times by her supportive family and friends, many of whom are crisis professionals. The goal has always been to keep her out of a hospitalization situation that could further traumatize her; it's become clear, however, that the emergency is bigger than anyone initially understood and something more comprehensive is necessary immediately.
Des's supports, some of whom are leaders in the mental health field, are currently screening potential programs taking Des's needs into account. Financial assistance will help her access appropriate treatment; some potential approaches include evidence-based treatments like Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicide (CAMS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and/or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
The goal is currently set at $45,000 to cover a four to six-week residential treatment program, processing fees set by banks (2.9%), and support for her family with childcare and follow-up outpatient treatment. Throughout this crisis, Des has sought therapy 2-4 times weekly, and out of pocket; the family was already under extreme financial stress. This is an unforeseen financial emergency the family does not have the resources to cover.
We love Des, her wife, and her two toddlers. Des deserves care that will help her heal and return home to her family—and return to herself. A donation of any amount is one we would be so grateful for, and if you can't donate (we understand!), please share.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER: Anastasia Fujii is a close family friend and is organizing this fundraiser with the help of those who are a part of Des’s community of support. Thanks specifically to Taylar Neuvelle, Lena Heilmann, Dave Jobes, and Jess Stohlmann-Rainey.
Organizer and beneficiary
Onyx Fujii
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA
Monica Orta
Beneficiary