Help Rachel Hannah Move to Safety & get Medicine!

Dear Friends, Family and anyone willing to help,

 

In short, my friend Heidi is hosting this fundraiser so that I and my irreplaceable six pound dog will be able to move out of an unsafe and unpredictable living environment that been causing me to feel unsafe, trapped and psychologically tormented for the past year and four months. Having a safe and stable home is a basic human need, especially during COVID. Heidi is also raising money so I will be able access breakthrough Psilocybin or Ketamine therapy a well as ongoing psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression that has lasted one and a half years so far. As I have been off work for mental health reasons for quite a while now I need your help to be able to make these time-sensitive goals a reality.

My story in more detail:

Heidi offered to start this fundraiser for me a few months ago, but I felt too vulnerable sharing my story for fear of possible stigma. It has gotten to a point that I really badly need assistance and have the possibility of another place to live. This can be very hard to find for someone on disability and in this rental climate, so I felt like it was necessary to reach out now.

 

I need to move because I live in a building where there has been a serious health and safety problem ongoing for over a year and four months with no signs of it resolving once and for all. The impact of this problem got so bad that it was a MAJOR contributing factor to me ending up in the hospital for a full month for mental health reasons. My Psychiatrist there strongly recommend that I seek out other housing.

 

I am currently on disability and live in subsidized housing. Not wanting to lose my housing I tried to advocate for myself and others in the building, but I have reached a breaking point. I need to move somewhere safe so I can stabilize my mental health and find peace again.

I do likely have access to a city subsidy that will reduce the cost of my rent, but it will still be SIGNIFICANTLY more than what I pay now. This would put me in financial hardship, especially this year with a move on a disability income.

Due to the factors listed above, in order to make a successful move I need financial assistance to help to cover moving costs, many first-year start-up costs, as well as some extra funds to cover the extra rent for the first year. With dedication towards my recovery this year, next year I really hope to be able to retrain, go back to school or to begin work.

 

Also, to help with these goals, I am currently being screened in to access breakthrough treatments for treatment-resistant depression that could potentially be life-saving. I have been experiencing treatment-resistant depression for a year and a half, my longest depression ever, and countless conventional treatments have not worked. These treatments could help me gain better control of my mental health symptoms in the long-run.

I won't be able to access one of these new breakthrough treatments, including Psilocybin therapy and Ketamine therapy, unless money is raised. This is because the costs are not covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. The additional costs of moving make your donations for this purpose that much more important. Also, Psylocibin, which seems at this point to be the more promising option, requires some visits and short stays in Toronto as there are no treatments in where I live in Ottawa.

 

I know there is a lot of need out there right now.  Money has never been raised for me before. I am sharing my story because I am really fighting for my life here. Fighting so I can turn my life around, get out of the poverty cycle and get out of this crippling depression. I hope to build a life worth living again in a new home along with new medical treatments, and then to be able to make a meaningful difference in this world.

 

My friend Heidi asks:

Would you be willing to help my friend out? Many $5 or $10 donations can add up fast and make a huge difference, of course more is welcome!

 

You donation will go towards helping Rachel move, access breakthrough mental health treatments and ongoing psychotherapy.

 

Additional ways you can help include:

1. Accommodations and/or transport from one or more dosing sessions in Toronto when she is receiving treatments as part of Psylocibin therapy, if that is what is decided on.

3. Help with moving and/or unpacking.

4. Help with decluttering and organization.

5. Mutual moral support or help with building new habits and practicing skills in terms of self-care and mental wellness. Please don't hesitate to reach out!

6. Share this post so others can have a chance to donate!

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, even if you are not able to donate at this time! Please share this post if you feel called to!

 

Sincerely,

 

Heidi & Rachel