Help Gina in her fight to get her Graves’ Disease controlled

Hi my name is Gina and I’m fundraising to help my family while I’m obtaining treatment for Graves’ Disease.

Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, an autoimmune disorder that results in hyperthyroidism. Thankfully while Graves’ Disease is not fatal, it is a life long, chronic condition, that can have a wide range of effects on the body. In my case, breathing has become increasingly difficult, especially when trying to sleep, along with difficulty swallowing any food or liquids, thanks to inflammation in the neck and throat. Between barely being able to eat and barely being able to sleep, my life has ground to a halt, the prospect of job hunting, or maintaining myself financially through freelance and independent art work made impossible, due as well to other symptoms of the disease, such as muscle cramping and tremors. This, combined with anxiety and panic attacks further fuelled by increased thyroid hormone production, along with a host of other minor afflictions Graves’s Disease carries with it, has made life a living hell.

Thankfully, there is a simple treatment, medication and a full thyroidectomy, that can reverse these symptoms and let me lead the productive and creative life I once had. And even better, the surgery is covered by the Canadian healthcare system, but that surgery isnt until June 6, until then, and for the recovery time after, I am unable to support myself financially, or to afford the accompanying medications I will need to take for the rest of my life.

I need your help to get through this dark time and reach the other side.

Currently, my cashflow runs at a deficit of $1,200 - $1,600 a month, expected to continue another 4-8 months as I recover from surgery. To get through this time, to survive so I can later thrive, I need between $4,800-$6,400 (based on 4 months recovery) to $9,600-$12,800 (based on 8 months recovery).

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Please, give generously, so I can get my life back.

if consumerism is more your taste than donations, you can peruse and arrange to purchase my art through either my Instagram @paint_splattered_cats or if you prefer art on products you can find my merchandise on Redbubble PSCats