My name is Dawn, after more than TWO years of relentless hardship, I am reaching out with humility and hope, asking for compassion and support for my family.

We are facing overwhelming challenges. I am currently undergoing acute medical treatment for serious heart issues and dangerously low cortisol levels. My health has declined rapidly, leaving me unable to work. I was let go from my company that I had been at for 19 years and no longer receive disability. I have not received payment in two months. I am still waiting for any goverment support. Alongside this, I care for my 50-year-old brother, Shawn, who is autistic and intellectually disabled, and my 17-year-old daughter, who lives with autism, ADHD and severe sensory processing disorder. Each day, I do everything I can to hold us together.

A few years ago, my fiancé and I bought our home, full of hope for the future. Tragically, he passed away from brain cancer, leaving me to carry on alone. Despite the odds, we managed to stay afloat—until my own health began to fail.

Over the past year, I have battled multiple serious medical conditions, including Cushing’s syndrome, hyperparathyroidism, and a dangerous heart arrhythmia. I underwent major surgery to remove two parathyroid glands and an adrenal tumor. Now, my body can no longer produce cortisol, and I remain under ongoing treatment. During this time, I have been forced onto disability, with long gaps in pay and now only minimal income. As of March, I was also diagnosed with ADHD and as neurodiverse. 

The financial impact has been devastating. I am currently struggle to meet our most basic bills. We have exhausted every resource—our savings, retirement funds, credit cards, and even my daughter’s college fund—just to survive. I am trying to sell our belongings, cutting every possible expense, and applying for assistance, but help is still months away.

This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I am not someone who asks for help easily. But we are at a breaking point, and I am doing everything I can to keep a roof over our heads and stability in our lives.

Please know that I can provide documentation for everything I have shared. I understand the hesitation people may feel, but I am asking you to believe in our situation and in our determination to get through this.

With your support, we can make it through this incredibly difficult chapter. Any contribution, no matter the size, would mean more than words can express. Even sharing our story helps more than you know.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your kindness, your compassion, and your consideration.