Help Ms. Angie As She Battles Covid

Angie Cunningham has worked at our family-owned preschool (KidWorks) since the very beginning, in 1998. She's been a part of our own children's lives since they were very small, and of course has touched the lives of countless children who have had the privilege of having Ms. Angie as their caregiver and teacher these past 28 years.

She's industrious and hard working. For the last several years she's worked two jobs, working full time for Alachua County Public Schools, then coming to KidWorks to work the last part of the day. Ms. Angie has had some health challenges, the most serious of which was a progressive kidney disease that required her to have regular dialysis, something she managed to fit into her already hectic schedule without missing work at either of her jobs.

Last year, she finally received a kidney transplant and her quality of life was the best it had been in many years. It was great to have the "old" Angie back. But her transplant requires her to be on immunosuppressant medication. Then Covid happened. She managed to avoid getting infected and received a full dose of the vaccine when it became available.

Last week, Angie began feeling poorly and tested positive for Covid. Due to her compromised immune system her condition worsened until she became so weak and dehydrated that her family took her to Shands ER. An examination revealed pneumonia secondary to a Covid infection and she was admitted to the Covid floor, where she remains. She's understandably scared, lonely, and misses all "her kids". Her condition has not improved, and care is sparse given the high workload of the doctors and nurses on her packed Covid floor.

Angie's inability to work has increased her already heightened anxiety, as she relies on the income from her two jobs to make ends meet, and the financial insecurity weighs on her. As her long time employer, we will pitch in to help her, but if you're able to donate and help relieve at least one stressor as her body fights this illness, we believe it would benefit her recovery, and Angie of course would appreciate it very much.