Dear Friends, Family, and Kind Strangers,

It is not easy to ask for help, but I am facing a medical battle that I cannot fight alone. Over the last few years, my health has taken an incredibly complex and challenging turn. I have been diagnosed with a rare combination of both advanced blood disorders and a progressive neurological condition.

My Diagnosis

To put it simply, my body is fighting two massive battles at once:

 A Rare Group of Blood Cancers & Disorders: I have been diagnosed with atypical Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (aCML), Polycythemia Vera, and Essential Thrombocythemia. These are part of a rare group of aggressive Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs), which cause my bone marrow to severely overproduce abnormal blood cells.

 CADASIL: This is a rare, inherited genetic neurological disorder that affects the blood vessels in the brain. It causes me to suffer from severe, debilitating migraines and places me at an incredibly high risk for premature strokes and early-onset dementia.

Living with either of these diagnoses would be a massive hurdle, but managing them together means my medical team is constantly walking a tightrope to treat the blood cancers without increasing the neurological risks to my brain.

The Daily Reality

These conditions impact every single aspect of my day-to-day life. Between the fatigue and pain from the blood disorders and the relentless, crushing migraines caused by CADASIL, simply managing daily tasks takes an immense amount of energy. The emotional weight of knowing I am at a constant, high risk for strokes and cognitive decline is a burden I carry every second.

Because these diseases are so rare and complex, my care requires specialized oncologists, neurologists, frequent blood work, specialized medications, and constant monitoring.

Why I Need Your Help

The mounting cost of treatments, specialized copays, travel to expert physicians, and daily living expenses while navigating these illnesses has become overwhelming. I want to focus my remaining energy on fighting these diseases and spending meaningful time with my loved ones, rather than drowning in financial stress.

Your donations will go directly toward:

 Uncovered medical bills and ongoing specialist care.

 Prescriptions and cutting-edge treatments.

 Daily living expenses to alleviate financial strain while I navigate this fight.

If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing my story with your network. Every single prayer, share, and dollar brings me a little more peace of mind and strength for the road ahead.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness, generosity, and support.

With love and gratitude,

Melissa