For years, my life has been consumed by a medical journey that no one ever expects to face.

I’ve spent countless hours in doctors’ offices, hospitals, imaging centers, and specialists’ clinics searching for answers. I’ve endured endless testing, procedures, medications, and treatments, yet I continue to struggle with complex health issues that affect nearly every part of my daily life.

After such a long and exhausting fight, I have finally been accepted as a patient at Cleveland Clinic.

When I received the call, I cried. For the first time in a long time, I felt hope.

Cleveland Clinic is giving me the opportunity to be evaluated by a team of specialists who can look at my entire medical picture together instead of one condition at a time. My prayer is that they can finally help uncover the cause of what I’ve been battling and develop a treatment plan that will give me the best chance at improving my quality of life.

Because of the severity and complexity of my condition, this may not be just one appointment. My evaluation could involve multiple specialists, extensive testing, additional procedures, repeat trips to Cleveland, and possibly extended stays depending on what is discovered. If my nutritional status continues to decline and I am unable to maintain a healthy weight, hospitalization and nutritional support, including feeding assistance if medically necessary, are among the possibilities my medical team may need to consider.

While insurance may help cover portions of my medical care, it does not cover the many expenses that come with receiving specialized care away from home. Travel from Oklahoma to Ohio, lodging, transportation, meals, parking, time away from work, and other out-of-pocket costs add up quickly—especially if multiple visits or longer stays become necessary.

Asking for help has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I’ve always wanted to carry my burdens on my own, but this opportunity is simply too important to lose because of financial limitations.

If you feel led to donate, please know that every gift—whether large or small—brings me one step closer to receiving the care I desperately need. If you’re unable to give financially, I would be deeply grateful if you would share my story and pray for me.

Please pray for wisdom for my medical team, safe travels, strength for my family, and that this journey leads to answers, healing, and hope.

Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for standing beside me during one of the most difficult seasons of my life. Your generosity, encouragement, and prayers remind me that I am not walking this road alone.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping make this opportunity possible.

As we step into this season of the unknown, I ask for one more thing that means just as much as any financial gift—your prayers.

Please pray for wisdom and discernment for every physician who will care for me. Pray that God will guide their hands, give them clarity, and lead them to answers that have remained hidden for so long.

Please pray for my husband, who has stood beside me through every appointment, every setback, every tear, and every unanswered question. He has carried so much while continuing to provide for our family with unwavering love and strength. Pray that God will renew him physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Please pray for my children. As a mother, nothing is harder than knowing they have watched me struggle. I pray they continue to feel safe, loved, and hopeful through this journey, and that they see God’s faithfulness even in the hardest moments.

Please also keep our entire family in your prayers as we navigate this unknown road together. Chronic illness doesn’t just affect one person—it impacts everyone who loves them.

If you know my husband, my children, or any of my family members, I ask that you reach out to them. A simple text message, a phone call, an encouraging word, or even a hug can make an incredible difference. Sometimes the caregivers and loved ones carry burdens that no one else can see. Please remind them that they are not fighting this battle alone.

Above all, we trust that God is already ahead of us. Even though we do not know what lies ahead, we know Who walks before us. We are believing for wisdom, peace, strength, answers, and healing according to His perfect will.

Thank you for every prayer you whisper, every message you send, every act of kindness you show, and every donation you make. Your love is carrying us through this journey more than you know.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…” — Psalm 46:1–2

Blessings, Leah Rose