Love for a Fierce Zioness

I'm raising medical funds for a true warrior and Jewish sister, Melissa Soalt.

She has spent her life teaching women how to defend themselves against predators. In her prime, she was known as Dr. Ruthless.

She has been suffering from multiple terrible ailments for years and she has been in so much agony.

Her body has gone from radiating health and strength to painfully skeletal. One day not long ago, her bathroom scale registered her weight as 78.4 pounds.

Her struggles are made infinitely worse by the fact that she has so little money right now and so much that could make things better -- medication, surgeries, comfort items -- are totally out of reach. I don't know how a country as rich as the U.S. can consign its citizens to torture and death for lack of the astronomical costs incurred by medical emergencies.

It's like an ice pick in my heart to see another Jew suffer so. I feel that as a community, we can't turn away.

I try very hard not to post fundraisers more than once or twice a year. My last one was in August, when my incredible community raised the funds for one of my longest-time friends to get top surgery. So it's been almost a year and I hope at least a few people will be moved to help Melissa.

I'll be so grateful for any contribution of any size. Thank you so much in advance for anything you might be moved to donate.