Help Rafaella Get Emergency Medical Care

Life can change in an instant, no matter how hard you work or how well you plan ahead. And sometimes it takes a community to help put the pieces back together and rebuild, after the storm.

I created this fundraiser to help me face and overcome an unprecedented series of events: a personal medical emergency made more complicated by a rare genetic disorder, needing treatment that is not covered by my insurance; all of my savings gone and months of lost income as a result; and then, on top of everything, a medical emergency for my best friend, Magellan - my cat. Everything happened all at once.

The first funds (3k) that came in went to help Magellan, who very suddenly passed away at the end of June, from an aggressive form of cancer.

The second round of funds (2k) went towards getting me to a new location where specialized medical treatment is available.

The remaining funds I need to raise (5k) will help me cover essential needs and the start of urgent medical care, while I work to rebuild everything from zero.

I am doing my best to navigate these circumstances with courage, one day at a time. I am grateful for the support I continue to receive through your kind and generous donations.

Thank you for your help and for sharing this fundraiser with your friends, family and colleagues.

More about me: I am the founder of Beauty for Survivors™ - you can see the project on Instagram @beautyforsurvivors and the first podcast episode is available on the dedicated YouTube channel. More episodes will be published after I have had time to get treatment and recover.

1 AUGUST 2024 -

I am so grateful for the recent donations that have come in, thank you so much to everyone who is sharing the fundraiser link and taking so much time to share my story and my journey with your own friends & community. It really means a lot.

I am selling everything I own that has any monetary value - I don't own much, but every bit counts - and then it is time to pack the last few things that will go with me on moving day.

We have about one week left to reach the goal: you may not know anyone who is in a position to offer financial support, but you might know people who know other people who can donate!

Please help me to spread the word as much as possible in the next 7 days.

Thank you and I will be back again soon with more updates

↓ VIDEO UPDATE / 24 JULY 2024 ↓

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW:

Thank you so much to everyone who continues to show so much care and support, for me - and for Magellan, even after his passing - your help, whether through a donation and/or sharing this fundraiser with your community, has a life-changing impact.

I am deeply grateful.

PREVIOUS UPDATES BELOW - SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE -

***UPDATE 21 July 2024***

If you have been following this fundraiser from the beginning, thank you for your continued support and kindness. After Magellan's sudden passing I experienced another medical emergency and have been in the ER/hospital and recovery. I am updating the fundraiser for immediate emergency needs and will share more details as soon as possible.

...

After a very brave fight and several days of improved bloodwork and enjoying his life each day, Magellan suddenly passed away this morning, 26 June 2024.

Funds that were dedicated for Magellan will now go towards covering the cost of cremation, an appropriate urn for his ashes, etc, as well as a few practical things that I need help with as I deal with this very sudden loss.

Magellan was bright-eyed this morning when we got up for breakfast together. He sat with me and purred while I brushed him with his favorite brush. He was eating and drinking with enthusiasm, going to the window to sniff the breeze and watch for birds...

And then he was gone.

Thank you for your kindness and support as I deal with the loss of my brave boy... my best friend.

THANK YOU!!

***Overall goal amount has been set based on my current understanding of what Magellan and I both need for treatment, in his case for emergency cancer & dental care. I will adjust the amount needed based on what the doctor tells us in our clinic visit(s).***

Thank you for your help, we are so grateful for your kindness and support!!!

❤️‍ Please follow us for regular updates - there is new information almost every day regarding Magellan's status, progress and recovery, and I will do my best to share details as soon as possible.

Here is a photo of Magellan recovering from his last clinic visit... he always sleeps with one paw (or more) on me and his head in my hand ❤️

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WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

$5 donation: Wish Magellan a Happy Birthday! He turned 12 last week and we could not celebrate together because he was in the hospital recovering from the blood transfusion... I would love to share your messages of encouragement with him so please leave a little birthday note for him on my FB page ❤️

$20 donation: Help cover costs of Magellan's medication & supplies including special prescription food

$50 donation: Help cover costs of ongoing blood tests for Magellan

$100 donation: Help cover the cost of each consultation with the oncologist ‍⚕️

$500 donation: This amount roughly covers one day at the clinic, including vet consultation fee, tests, and treatment (right now he is on medication, we will know soon what the next steps are for the masses they found in his abdomen, ie surgery, radiation and/or chemo)

$1000 donation: This amount will cover the cost of his next appointment on Friday 15 June, including vet consultation fee, tests, fine-needle aspirations of the masses in his abdomen, and emergency dental care (periodontal disease / treatment after losing a lower canine tooth this week)

SHARE MAGELLAN'S STORY WITH YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY & COMMUNITY: We have already had thousands of shares via FB, Reddit, Telegram, and group chats, and this helped us find a matching blood donor for Magellan in a matter of days. Social media is powerful, but only people who care enough to share can make the difference. Thank you so much for helping us help Magellan get urgent, life-saving care ASAP ❤️

TRANSLATION SUPPORT: If you would like to translate Magellan's story and updates into your native language so that we can reach more people in local FB groups and/or other platforms where there is a language barrier, please let me know, this would be a wonderful help to us... thank you! ❤️

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This is the story of Magellan and me: a brave and gentle world-traveling cat who has changed lives, made countless friends and helped many hurting hearts to heal - and me, an artist, author and advocate for survivors, currently facing a life-altering medical condition.

Magellan has always had a special way of bringing people together: across countries, borders, and language barriers, he has brought many people comfort and a sense of community, where they might otherwise feel alone or afraid.

Magellan loves life and he loves people, he is still bright-eyed and brimming with personality - even though he is in a lot of pain, he is patiently trusting the process of healing, and he makes progress every day. I am so proud of him. ❤️

Over the last week, Magellan urgently needed a matching blood donor for an emergency transfusion, and we found out that he is a very rare blood type (B) - less than 5% of cats have this type, but thanks to the power of people who care, his story was shared over 1000 times in the span of just a few days, and - thanks to the power of social media, prayer warriors, the kindness of strangers and countless volunteers who went out of their way to get their own cats tested for blood type - we found a donor.

Thank you to sweet and handsome Benedikt, the British Shorthair, for helping Magellan with your blood donation ❤️

Magellan received the blood transfusion on his birthday, June 5, and since then has been transferred to the care of a specialized oncology clinic, with a wonderful, caring and compassionate doctor who has multiple decades of experience in diagnosing and treating cases similar to Magellan.

Magellan needs our help, and I'm here to share his story, his light and his incredible spirit, so you can join us in this journey of healing and renewed strength.

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Our story begins in 2012, on a little island off the coast of southern Italy. On June 5 that year, a handsome, mysterious and mischievous boy showed up at the door of the hotel where I was living and working as the property manager.

The island of Ischia is a beautiful place, and one of the best places to be if you are a street dog or a street cat. Everyone loves animals on the Emerald Isle, and often you will find the neighbors taking care of every furry friend who stops by, even if it's just for a snack or a pet.

I knew all the "street pets" already - there were so many, and they were so cute, and I was already used to their schedules... the orange cat, the calico cat, the cat that looked like it had lived a million lives and was still somehow catching mice in the yard next door.

But on this day, this cat was different. I had never seen him before, and he seemed to radiate a light and an intensity in his eyes that told me he was not from the neighborhood...

Follow and stay tuned for more of our story - I am writing and posting and sharing as much as I can in between taking care of Magellan and trying to manage my health situation every day - thank you for all the love ❤️❤️❤️