I’m reaching out with a heavy heart but determined spirit. My wife, Roxanne just 44, faces a battle no one should at her age—arachnoiditis, sparked by hospital procedures meant to heal, a struggle she’s borne for 7 to 8 years. The medical system refuses to diagnose her, adding insult to injury. We’re pleading for funds for medical bills piled up over years and to hire an advocate who can stand by her side, navigate the complex medical and legal systems, and fight for the support she desperately needs after nearly a decade of pain. Your generosity could make all the difference in giving her a voice when she’s too weary to speak for herself, so she can be more than a shadow of a mom for our two boys.

Arachnoiditis is a rare, chronic pain condition caused by inflammation of the arachnoid, a delicate membrane surrounding the spinal cord. For Roxanne, it means unrelenting pain, limited mobility, and a life turned upside down. It’s a condition that’s often misunderstood, underdiagnosed, and dismissed by those who don’t see the daily toll it takes. Simple tasks—like standing for more than a few minutes, sitting through a meal, or even resting comfortably—have become monumental challenges. For Roxanne, hospital procedures triggered it, plunging her, at 44, into pain and restricted mobility for 7 to 8 years. It began subtly, an ache after procedures, but grew into sharp, burning sensations, legs that give out, a body that betrays her. What should’ve been routine care became a nightmare, yet the system denies it, refusing a diagnosis despite her agony—pain, immobility, sleeplessness—while bills mount with every fruitless visit and test. She’s trapped, fighting illness and a system that won’t admit fault, as our boys lose their mom—she’s there but not there. Our sons miss her strength that guided them, leaving them lost and us broken as she strives to be their mom. 

Tasks—cooking, sitting with the boys—bring tears she hides. Yet her grit inspires me. She won’t quit, nor will I. But unfortunately now we are finding that we can’t do this alone. The medical system is a maze, and for someone with a condition as complex as arachnoiditis, it’s even harder to get the care and resources she deserves.

That’s why we need an advocate—someone with expertise to cut through the red tape, secure proper treatment, and ensure her voice is heard by doctors, insurers, and anyone who holds the key to her relief. An advocate isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity to help us fight for her quality of life. The cost of hiring one, however, is beyond our reach right now, with medical bills and daily expenses already stretching us thin.

This fundraiser is about more than money—it’s about hope, justice, and family. Every dollar eases her burden, brings an advocate closer, helping her face this with dignity and determination. Be it $5, $50, or just sharing this message with someone who might help, you mean the world to us. It’s a chance to lighten her burden, reclaim a life stolen by those she trusted.

Thank you for reading and helping. Together, we can get her the advocate and bill relief she needs, hold those accountable, bring her back to our boys—present in love, the way they need her most after a decade. We’re grateful.

With hope and gratitude,

Yvon Gagnon