Help Hanna Pay Off Medical Debt

Hanna was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and various autoimmune diseases in September of 2021. Her journey has created many twists and turns which has resulted in trying multiple different methods of treatment. Although these methods have shown some positive response in the past, Hanna still has a long road ahead of her to be cancer free and healthy. As much as we wish these treatments were affordable, they are not. Hanna has racked up an insurmountable amount of medical bills only at the age of 27, currently totaling almost $100,000.

The money raised will go directly towards paying off her medical bills as well as re-starting alternative treatments that had previously been working. This includes costs of appointments, medications, supplements, IV’s, and travel to and from her doctors. The money raised will allow her to continue to get the medical care she needs while also being able to move forward without extreme fear and anxiety regarding the debt she is already due.

The biggest factor that debilitates her daily life is her autoimmune conditions. These conditions cause her immune system to be extremely weak, resulting in weekly (and daily, especially during flu season) fevers, extreme fatigue, severe joint pain, muscle weakness, and abnormal organ functioning.

Every day is a battle, but Hanna always makes the best of it! Every day she takes a long list of expensive medications and supplements, follows a strict diet, engages in as much physical activity as her body allows, and sleeps as much as her body needs (often 12-15 hours a day).

Over the past year, Hanna began to engage in some alternative treatments with naturopathic doctors. These doctors have studied under the experts from the Riordan clinic and are working with her other medical doctors to make sure their treatments align. Her body began to respond well to the treatments they recommended and she was even able to start doing activities again, such as going into crowded spaces, build back some muscle, decrease her amount of sleep necessary to function, and fight off some colds without severe symptoms arising. However, over the last few months, Hanna had to pause these treatments due to the cost being too high. Our goal is to get her back on these treatments so she can start to see successful results again!

The community Hanna is a part of has been extremely supportive in her journey to find a successful treatment. We’ve held several local fundraisers throughout the Vail Valley to help lower her financial burden. Although, we wish these local fundraisers covered her current medical debt, it did not. Hanna is in awe of her community and is extremely grateful for their support over the last few years. However, any new treatment she takes part of will only put her deeper into medical debt. With several new treatments finally showing successful results, Hanna wants that chance to confidently plan her future. We know it was a tough decision, but Hanna finally felt comfortable enough to let us reach out beyond our community and ask for help. We told her there’s nothing wrong with asking and that’s why we need your help! Let’s show her there’s a community of people all over the world willing to help. Let’s show her it's okay to be vulnerable and ask for support. Let’s show her that complete strangers can sympathize and show her love. Let’s show her what we can do!

If you know Hanna personally, you know that the past few years haven't been the easiest. You also know that Hanna doesn't take one moment for granted, whether it’s good or bad, she takes it all in. She gives back to her community through volunteering as a local women’s hockey coach, teaches community yoga, and even offers healing sessions for anyone going through a hard time. She volunteers with the Small Champions organization who encourage the youth, with a variety of cognitive and physical disabilities, to engage in winter and summer sports that help support their developmental progress. For the last 3 years, she has volunteered with the Adaptive Ski School which helps get everybody and all bodies on the mountain. She runs the Juvenile Diversion Program that offers the youth in Eagle County, with low level offenses, a route out of the court system. She has been directing Eagle County's new Mountain Safe program, which helps individuals in our community get the resources they need. Her passion for helping others, mentoring the youth, and getting juvenile justice goes beyond Eagle County. She has had an impact on many lives in Boston, New Hampshire, Denver, and more. She makes you feel important; better yet, she makes you realize your own importance. That's the "Hanna effect".

If you are able give, any amount helps. If you are not able to give, please share with friends, family, businesses, coworkers, teams, etc.; anything to help spread Hanna’s story. Help us get the word out so we can show Hanna what she deserves and what she can look forward to in the future!