Rowenda's Transformative Journey of Healing
Donation protected
[Please note: Rowenda asked me to write this on her behalf, as her days are focused on her healing journey. She has read the content of this fundraiser, and has offered feedback that has been incorporated here.]
In a society that glorifies youth, Rowenda has been drawn to explorations of what it means to be an elder in this day and age. We have had numerous conversations on the subject, especially as it relates to societal attitudes about race. In fact, we discussed the subject the very first time we met, at a Black Lives Matter rally when she lived in Boulder and attended Naropa University as a master’s student in counseling. Row had returned to school in her late 40’s with the hope of starting a new career after decades of working in various fields, including corporate jobs and more recently massage therapy.
Row eventually left Naropa and moved to the Bay Area with the intention of intended to pursuing her master’s degree elsewhere. In the meantime, she continued contemplating the meaning of eldership, dreaming of cultivating an intentional community that nurtures black women.
Row’s personal and environmental stress while struggling to stay afloat in one of the most expensive areas in the US led to a decline in her health. Row developed an extreme reaction to toxic mold and began treatment to detox from the adverse health impacts of mold spores. During that time, she decided to pursue further education in the field of teaching English to non-English speakers, perhaps eventually spending time in Ghana or another place in Africa.
In her quest for healing, she moved to Palm Springs, where the desert climate gave her some relief from the humid conditions of the Bay Area. It was during her brief time in Palm Springs that she experienced a sudden health crisis that led to her discovery that leukemia had developed in her body. She might never know if the chronic exposure to mold spores contributed to the leukemia, but the cumulative effects of these two illnesses have left her with inadequate financial resources to address her current medical and living needs.
She is now receiving in-patient chemotherapy treatment at a hospital in La Jolla, and is preparing for a move across the country closer to family as she continues on her healing journey. The good news is that she will be moving to a hospital on the East Coast that is a leading destination for treatment of Acute Leukocytic Leukemia (her specific type of cancer.)
I am thankful that the doctors are optimistic about Row’s ability to recover from leukemia. Her blood cell and platelet counts are gradually rising, and she is responding well to treatment. She is determined to overcome this setback and continue forward with her vision.
Row needs help with moving and living expenses to support this next phase of her journey. As someone who cherishes her independence, it’s been humbling for her to take this leap and ask for support from friends. The challenges of chronic illness can be isolating, but this is a chance for us to rally together and support our dear friend as she embarks on the next phases of healing.
The funds raised here will allow Row to wrap up obligations in California and pay for living expenses as she is getting settled into a new home out east. While she’s currently receiving in-patient treatment and has been in the hospital since early May, at some point she will shift to outpatient treatment. Trying to figure out how to afford rent while being unable to work has been enormously stressful, on top of the stresses of going through chemo.
All funds contributed will be deposited into Row’s bank account. It would be great to raise enough here to pay for the deposit and rent for an apartment that will be supportive of her healing, i.e., a stable home free of mold or moisture problems. Her furnishings also must not be contaminated by mold spores. Row’s special dietary restrictions due to the chronic exposure to mold, make groceries expensive, and she’ll need to pay for utilities including her cellphone.
Row is going to start a CaringBridge blog soon, and we’ll post a link to it here once it’s launched. She is grateful for the loving support of family and friends during this difficult time, and she is looking forward to life beyond cancer. Thank you so much for contributing to this fundraiser — it means more than words can convey, both to Row and to those of us who love her immensely.
In a society that glorifies youth, Rowenda has been drawn to explorations of what it means to be an elder in this day and age. We have had numerous conversations on the subject, especially as it relates to societal attitudes about race. In fact, we discussed the subject the very first time we met, at a Black Lives Matter rally when she lived in Boulder and attended Naropa University as a master’s student in counseling. Row had returned to school in her late 40’s with the hope of starting a new career after decades of working in various fields, including corporate jobs and more recently massage therapy.
Row eventually left Naropa and moved to the Bay Area with the intention of intended to pursuing her master’s degree elsewhere. In the meantime, she continued contemplating the meaning of eldership, dreaming of cultivating an intentional community that nurtures black women.
Row’s personal and environmental stress while struggling to stay afloat in one of the most expensive areas in the US led to a decline in her health. Row developed an extreme reaction to toxic mold and began treatment to detox from the adverse health impacts of mold spores. During that time, she decided to pursue further education in the field of teaching English to non-English speakers, perhaps eventually spending time in Ghana or another place in Africa.
In her quest for healing, she moved to Palm Springs, where the desert climate gave her some relief from the humid conditions of the Bay Area. It was during her brief time in Palm Springs that she experienced a sudden health crisis that led to her discovery that leukemia had developed in her body. She might never know if the chronic exposure to mold spores contributed to the leukemia, but the cumulative effects of these two illnesses have left her with inadequate financial resources to address her current medical and living needs.
She is now receiving in-patient chemotherapy treatment at a hospital in La Jolla, and is preparing for a move across the country closer to family as she continues on her healing journey. The good news is that she will be moving to a hospital on the East Coast that is a leading destination for treatment of Acute Leukocytic Leukemia (her specific type of cancer.)
I am thankful that the doctors are optimistic about Row’s ability to recover from leukemia. Her blood cell and platelet counts are gradually rising, and she is responding well to treatment. She is determined to overcome this setback and continue forward with her vision.
Row needs help with moving and living expenses to support this next phase of her journey. As someone who cherishes her independence, it’s been humbling for her to take this leap and ask for support from friends. The challenges of chronic illness can be isolating, but this is a chance for us to rally together and support our dear friend as she embarks on the next phases of healing.
The funds raised here will allow Row to wrap up obligations in California and pay for living expenses as she is getting settled into a new home out east. While she’s currently receiving in-patient treatment and has been in the hospital since early May, at some point she will shift to outpatient treatment. Trying to figure out how to afford rent while being unable to work has been enormously stressful, on top of the stresses of going through chemo.
All funds contributed will be deposited into Row’s bank account. It would be great to raise enough here to pay for the deposit and rent for an apartment that will be supportive of her healing, i.e., a stable home free of mold or moisture problems. Her furnishings also must not be contaminated by mold spores. Row’s special dietary restrictions due to the chronic exposure to mold, make groceries expensive, and she’ll need to pay for utilities including her cellphone.
Row is going to start a CaringBridge blog soon, and we’ll post a link to it here once it’s launched. She is grateful for the loving support of family and friends during this difficult time, and she is looking forward to life beyond cancer. Thank you so much for contributing to this fundraiser — it means more than words can convey, both to Row and to those of us who love her immensely.
Fundraising team: Team Row (2)
Cynthia Beard
Organizer
La Jolla, CA
R Alison Lewis
Team member