Mutual Aid: Cy Needs a Miracle!

Hey there. Many of you know me as Cy Catwell, your friendly queer Black localizer, editor, and podcaster. If you follow me online, especially on Twitter, you know that a lot of my body of work is centered around making the world less lonely, whether that's through seasonal anime reviews, podcasting, per through my perspective writing.

But sadly, if you follow me on Twitter, you may even knows that 2023 has been a devastating year for me overall health as well. And if you don't know me at all, let me explain what's happened.

I started 2023 with a cold: sniffles and sneezes and a bit exhaustion. As someone who's lived there entire adulthood with a disability, I didn't think much. That is, until February, when I was taken to the emergency room with glucose readings in the upper 300s. Later, this would reach an incredibly life-threatening level in the lower 600s, forcing my life to come to a halt.

Between a recent bout of COVID-19 that's been detrimental to my overall health to multiple ER and urgent care visits to having a dangerous onset of Type-2 diabetes that had permanently changed my life, this year has been incredibly difficult. I've lost my smile and more often than not, find taking my first breath to be a challenge.

I've had to, at many times, fight for me life: sadly, the fight is going out of me, and it's harder to smile and keep going on each day as the bills pile up and my medical needs evolve. It's getting scary: it's getting overwhelming. Most days, I don't know how I find the strength to go on.

But I believe in the power of community, so I'm asking you to help me find my ability to fight again through the genuine power of mutual aid. I'm asking you to help me end 2023 with the ability to catch my breath and maybe, finally recover from a year of traumatic health experiences.

Any funds raised will go toward helping me clear my medical debt, which includes paying off bills, reducing the debt credit cards used to support urgent care and emergency care visits, as well as helping me fill critical end of the year prescriptions and doing my last round of doctor's appointments for the year. These funds will also help me obtain essential medical equipment necessary for my health, including stocking up on lancets, test strips, and possibly even getting a new nebulizer, which is essential to reducing pain from my asthma in the winter.

To me, ever bit of mutual aid matters: even just sharing this on social media is invaluable. Every bit counts, and I genuinely mean that. That said, please don't put yourself in a difficult situation: if you don't have the money or can't afford to help, that's okay. You have right to take care of yourself first: please don't forget that.

All I ask is that if you've ever read anything I've written, ever listened to an episode of Anime Feminist's Chatty AF podcast and heard my voice, laughed at something I've said on Twitter, or just simply want to share some kindness, please consider supporting me through mutual aid via this GoFundMe, whether that's sharing the link or considering a donation.