Help My Hero, My Mom, Get Her Life Back!

My incredible mom Nancy Lesslie, my hero, is facing the fight of her life, and she needs our help. For years, she's bravely battled a debilitating condition that has stolen her ability to live a normal life. She suffers from short bowel syndrome and has no colon, leading to terrible obstructions and constant fungal blood infections from her G-tube. She relies on a double lumen port for medications and is currently on TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition), meaning she can't eat anything that doesn't pass directly through her stomach and short bowel to her ileostomy bag.

She's undergone countless surgeries, each one a desperate attempt to find relief. But now, she has a real chance at regaining her life: she's been accepted onto a bowel rehabilitation/transplant list! This is her last, best hope, but it requires a massive relocation. My mom needs to move from her home here in Auburn, Georgia, to either of the transplant centers weather it be Indy or Miami to be near the transplant center.

This move is critical, but it comes with immense financial strain. We are trying to raise $10,000 to cover her rental in whichever state the transplant team sends her to, help with moving expenses, and support her short-term living costs while my father finds a new job in their new state.

My mom is the strongest person I know. She single-handedly raised four children and has been a loving, guiding force in the lives of her seven grandchildren. She's given so much to so many, and now it's our turn to give back to her. This transplant isn't just a medical procedure; it's her chance to finally eat, to truly live, and to be the vibrant mom and grandmother we all know and love.

Please, I am begging you, help me save my mom. Every donation, no matter how small, brings us closer to getting her to Miami or Indy and giving her this life-changing opportunity.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

• Samantha Schmidt