Help our Awesome Friend SM
If you found this link, it's because you're friends with SM, and you know she's someone pretty special. I'm not putting her name here, because I'd rather she didn't know were were doing this until there's a bit in the kitty to share. This is to spread by electronic word of mouth. Please don't share it broadly on social media, at least not yet ... instead, pass it to individuals who you think might pitch in.
SM's been awfully resiliant through some tough times lately. As you know, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a while back. By and large, she's doing very well (you can read about it on her blog ), but she still needs more tests and could still need more treatments at some point. And that stuff really, really ain't cheap.
She recently transitioned from the excellent insurance she'd had under her former employer to much more expensive insurance that covers a whole lot less. And while she's done a remarkable job building a freelance career (and it's made her so happy!) there are times, financially, that's easier than others. Very notably: She couldn't work much at all for weeks during a recent treatment. And when you work for youself, that's a big, big deal.
So look, this isn't someone who's on the verge of losing her home or whose world is a single utility bill from falling apart. This isn't a pity party and she'd hate to think we were throwing her one. But SM's made a lot work in difficult circumstances — very often putting in the time and energy to help other people in her life at the expense of her own good — and that takes more of a toll than she sometimes lets on. So I thought it would be nice if we could all make it just a little bit easier.
Whatever you can do to help is fantastic.
(Note: The campaign recipient iscurrently in my name, but after the holiday weekend, I'm setting the recipient to SM ... I just want to make sure there's a bit in the pot before she knows about it. If you got this link, you either know me or know someone who does ... I'm not running to Aruba with your money.)