The Life and Legacy of Zahra Mahmoud Abbas

Hello, my name is Leaha Skylar Dotson, Chair of the MDP Cannabis Caucus and Chair of the Young Democrats of Michigan and Congressional District 12 member and resident. I am raising funds for the Abbas family to help cover the funeral, memorial, and burial costs associated with the recent sudden passing of our dearly beloved Zahra Mahmoud Abbas. **Please be aware this is the ONLY GoGundMe link set up on September 2nd, 2022, by Leaha and Mahdi, which the Abbas Family has approved.**

Zahra was my best friend, my partner in everything, my sister...and we miss her immensely, and we will work harder and closer together in her honor. Zahra was a tireless volunteer and worker for progressive politics in Michigan and throughout the Nation. She rarely said 'no' and, even when unable to canvass, would host daily/weekly phonebanks for various progressive candidates. Zahra also volunteered with Healthy Dearborn and the Epilepsy Foundation; this involvement led her to become the Program Coordinator Assistant and later the Program Coordinator for the Dearborn PIPERS program, where she worked with children with disabilities doing a variety of sports together. She gave us hours of her time for free and empowered and encouraged countless others to follow in her footsteps. She lived a life filled with joyful, compassionate giving.

This leads me to my request...her family needs us now...it's our turn to return the years of service Zahra gave us. We can do so by helping them to finalize the final resting place of our dear friend and warrior Zahra. Anything helps, and sharing this GoFundMe helps as well.

To learn more about Zahra Abbas' story, please read the below tribute written by her brother Ahmad Abbas and her friend Carla Boyd:

"On July 28, 2022, the world lost one of its brightest lights. Zahra's beautiful family lost their precious daughter, sister, auntie, niece, and cousin. The epilepsy community lost the advocate of a generation. Michigan lost a rising political leader. Those suffering from injustice lost a fearless, tenacious advocate. And so many people lost a dear friend, a once-in-a-lifetime kind.

A little over a month after her birth in 1986, Zahra was hospitalized with bronchitis. During her stay, she was given an overdose of Theophylline, a bronchodilator used to treat bronchitis. A severe seizure followed this. This medical mishap was met with a 10% chance of survival. Although she pulled through, this marked the beginning of Zahra's odds-defying life and numerous near-death experiences. However, she was a fighter unlike any other, with epilepsy being her greatest adversary.

At only 13 years old, Zahra had her first seizure, followed by a year filled with severe migraines. A year and a half later, now 14, Zahra was hospitalized after experiencing another Grand mal seizure. It was at this time that she was diagnosed with epilepsy.

For nearly 15 years following her diagnosis, Zahra endured daily grand mal seizures, broken bones, brain surgery, VNS implants, horrible side effects from dozens of medications, and dozens of hospital stays. Residuals of mental health effects from years of unpredictable seizures and related trauma were also in the background.

At age 28, after years of contemplation, Zahra's decided to try cannabis to combat her drug-resistant epilepsy. That was a bold step because she was highly devout in her faith. That said, Zahra began to gain seizure control for the first time in a decade. At one stretch, she was four years seizure-free. Zahra used her incredible story to advocate for those with epilepsy and served as an inspiration to the almost 110,000 people in Michigan suffering from epilepsy.

After being sidelined for over ten years, Zahra didn't have a minute to waste; she took off running. What was her mission? Injustice. Unfairness bothered her on a cellular level. She knew all too well the feeling of being discriminated against. If you boil it down, quite simply, Zahra Abbas was a fearless warrior for justice.

When cannabis stopped her seizures after over a decade of failed attempts with conventional medicine, she fought to get it legalized so anyone in need could access it in Michigan. Zahra was a tremendous driving force behind the entire legalization movement. She sat on the boards of advocacy organizations and served as an expert speaker. When she realized she could forge change by driving public policy, she became a Democratic National Convention (DNC) precinct delegate, a delegate to the state central committee of the Michigan Democratic Party, and secretary of the Young Democrats of Michigan (YDM). Zahra was the first Arab American Muslim DNC delegate in state history. In addition, she was actively involved with the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan, speaking and volunteering at their events and camp. Zahra was a progressive activist and environmentalist who was "committed to advocating and working towards a just and safe future for people."

Zahra's sudden departure sent ripples of shock through her immediate community as well as the entire nation. A seizure may have taken her from this world, yet she has never truly succumbed to it. For not only did she return to her most desirable resting place, with God, but her voice has been heard louder than ever before."