Help Gail Recover from Injury

Hi, my name is Lydia Brewer, and I'm raising funds for my mom, Gail Hope.

On April 9th, while I was out of the country, my mom was house-sitting for us when something unexpected and traumatic happened. Our cat, Cheese—normally calm, affectionate—suddenly tried to dash out the front door. My mom instinctively reached to stop him, not realizing that in the panic, she’d grab him in a way that startled him. He bit her hand badly.

She was just trying to help keep our pet safe—and ended up in a medical emergency.

The bite severely injured a tendon in her thumb and caused a fast-moving infection that quickly became life-threatening. What started as a small wound escalated in hours. She was first seen at a local ZoomCare clinic, where the provider immediately recognized the danger and told her she needed to get to the hospital—fast. Thanks to my amazing neighbor, Dave, she got to UW Medical Center, where she was assessed and then rushed by ambulance to Harborview. There, she underwent emergency surgery and remained hospitalized for four days to fight the infection and begin her recovery.

Since then, her healing process has been slow and painful. She continues to attend follow-up appointments and will need weeks of physical therapy just to regain proper function in her thumb.

My mom is newly retired and living on a fixed income. The costs of emergency surgery, hospitalization, ambulance transport, follow-ups, antibiotics, and now physical therapy are piling up quickly. It’s an overwhelming financial strain—one she never saw coming, all because she stepped in to help.

I want to support her however I can, and I’m reaching out to ask for help. Every donation, no matter the size, will go directly toward covering her medical expenses and giving her some relief during this difficult time.

The photo posted is from happier, healthier times with her best pup friend, Rowdy. Medical records and additional images are available upon request for anyone who would like more information.

Thank you so much for reading and for any support you’re able to give—it truly means the world to both of us.