* Note, Deanna is now battling cancer. You can donate to her GoFundMe page by clicking here.
A few of us friends of Deanna’s decided to create this page for her because we understand the difficulty for any sensible human being in her position to have to make these kinds of undignifying requests. First let us bare some facts about her situation:
1. Like other sufferers of severe Chronic Lyme Disease, she is unable to return to work in her current condition. If you review the list of many symptoms, some quite debilitating, you’ll understand why.
2. She has almost depleted her entire life savings – a staggering amount! – much of which was wasted on earlier medical procedures that were ineffective due to misdiagnoses by numerous doctors uneducated on the subject of Lyme Disease. Had they been knowledgeable about the condition and addressed it correctly early on, she would have long been cured! As a result, she now has to see a leading Lyme-literate doctor whose long-term treatment is expensive, painful at times, and she is very much afraid that she will not be able to complete his promising regimen to achieve recovery due to lack of foreseeable funding. The consequences of stopping treatment are dire and certainly not something anyone wants to have to think about.
3. The source of funding that could have made a difference and that many people would logically call upon is medical insurance. However, as can be read in testimonials 
throughout the online communities of Chronic Lyme victims, as well as in this Compelling Article, insurance carriers won’t cover Chronic Lyme Disease today. The politics can be traced to the current standards set by the IDSA that Chronic Lyme Disease does not exist, even though factual evidence of out of control numbers of new cases every year confirm the exact opposite.
4. For reasons just mentioned, the sought-after Lyme doctors with track records of getting patients in remission require cash upfront. It has often been said that Chronic Lyme Disease is a disease for the rich. Sadly, the disease doesn’t seem to selectively target just individuals in that social group. One doctor summarized it perfectly in this quote.
Though slow, her progress is encouraging… after being near death in the hospital emergency room on several occasions. Based on similar patient history, treatment may need to continue for two or more years to get her into remission and back on her feet again, so to speak. We’re all praying for a shorter course naturally. But in terms of a dollar figure, the medical expenses alone will range from $125,000 to $250,000 in the time-frame specified. None of which are covered by insurance of course, unless new laws are implemented in short order. Like the rest of us, she also has to eat and pay for mundane living expenses.
Following is a list of the kind of help that would really make a difference in her life right now:
A. Financial Donations
(Use the donate link below)
Biggest help needed is to pay for medical bills of her remaining treatment at the tune of $8k to $10k per month. Half of the costs are in-clinic sessions and doctor fees. The rest are out-of-pocket expenses for prescription medications and IV bags she has to buy. Any donation is appreciated. One-time or monthly pledges. We looked into setting up a non-profit organization to collect tax-deductible contributions but were informed that such entities could not be used for the benefit of paying an individual’s bills.
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It is possible to donate directly to the treatment clinic on her behalf where her Lyme doctors give her care. Please contact Deanna first to receive instructions on how to proceed.
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It is also possible to purchase gift certificates from Infuserve for Deanna, which is where she gets all her very expensive, life-saving IV medications at the best possible discounted rate in the nation. That would be a great gift to her, as her IV supplies make up more than half the monthly medical bills. Please inquire with the owner (Mr. Kazarian) directly at 1-800-886-9222 or via email: david@infuserveamerica.com.
If you know of any charity organization that you believe should be contacted (other than Lyme Light who only takes patients who are under 25) to apply for financial assistance, please submit the info via her Contact Page.
If you live in, or near San Mateo County (California):
B. Food Delivery
Occasional donation of your time would be most appreciated. She is often too weak (or hooked up to iv’s) to make her own lunch or dinner, let alone going out to shop for groceries. Volunteering to deliver food to her that she pre-orders would be a great service. Please note that she is on a restricted diet.
C. Transportation
Perhaps someone would be willing to offer driving her to doctor appointments on occasion or help her get and carry groceries.
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If you wish to contribute in categories B and C, or know of any church or other organization nearby that could help in such capacity, please contact Deanna via the Contact Page.
D. Media Exposure & Advocacy
Even as she fights for her own survival, Deanna wants to contribute her time and energy — as much as she is able to — to advocate awareness, education, research and political change concerning Chronic Lyme Disease. Her personal story… going from a bright, healthy career woman and community spokesperson to a suddenly life-struggling victim of a terrifying and physically/mentally debilitating battle that has lasted years instead of what could have been just a few weeks if a doctor had caught Lyme in time… is a testimonial that MUST be heard by the public at large, if only as a warning. If you, or anyone you know, would like to help Deanna gain media exposure, please contact her via the Contact Page.
You do not need to have a Paypal account. Just click “Continue” on the lower left of the donation page. Please note that Deanna’s full identity must be protected due to the current political climate surrounding Chronic Lyme Disease. The donation button will take you to a page where she is identified as “Hanoverian…” Thanks for your understanding and generosity.
