A Peterborough mom is fighting to keep her 23-year-old daughter alive. Susan Nelson has reached out via crowdfunding site Indiegogo to help Ingrid win her fight against a severe eating disorder.
Though Ingrid is currently hospitalized, her condition is deteriorating. According to an article in the Huffington Post, she desperately needs the expertise of a residential eating disorder program. The problem is, provincial health insurance does not cover the cost, and Nelson cannot afford the fees, which include months in treatment, followed by aftercare programs.
"[It's] one of the worst feelings any parent can imagine," says Nelson. "There's nothing left for us to do other than ask for help from our extended community and beyond."
So much for our brag-worthy universal healthcare. It seems that many treatments are exempt. Getting well shouldn't be contingent on your bank balance.
Such is the continued discrepancy between physical and mental health. Meanwhile, Ingrid's life hangs in the balance.
"Unfortunately, they aren't experienced with eating disorders here at the hospital and I have continued to decline both mentally and physically," writes Ingrid. "It is difficult for me to write honestly about the state I am in right now, as a huge part of my illness tries to minimize and ignore the severity of its hold on my life. But I have to push myself to face this reality, and to make others aware of what is happening."
Already the campaign has raised more than $15,000 of their $60,000 goal. If you would like to donate, please visit Nelson's page.
Do you support medical crowdfunding, or is it simply letting the provincial government off the hook? Another controversial crowdfunding campaign.
Romantics at heart, get your hankies ready. In a story from our own backyard, a 65-year-old man from Barrie paid it forward by picking up the dinner tab of a loved up couple.
According to an article in Today, recently widowed Lee Ballantyne scribbled an explanation for his generous gesture on a napkin:
"You don’t know me," read his note, "but my beautiful wife of 43 years died last week. Tonight I dined alone for the first time. You remind me of us many years ago. Please allow me to buy your dinner. It will put a smile on Carol’s face and make me happy… for now."
Ballantyne then asked the server at Cicco to charge the couple's bill to his credit card and pass on his note. Needless to say, restaurant workers were moved to tears.
Ever been touched by the kindness of a stranger and wanted to let them know? Shanell Mouland did just that in an open letter, “Dear ‘Daddy’ in Seat 16C Flight 1850 From Philly,” to the businessman sitting next to her daughter on a recent flight from Disney World.
According to the article in Buzzfeed, Mouland didn't have high hopes of the man who sat next to her autistic daughter, Kate. But her preconceptions were confounded when he engaged with her.
Instead of ignoring her or making a rude remark—especially when little Kate called him daddy—the man chatted with her and seemed to take genuine pleasure in the interaction. As a parent with a child on the spectrum, I can appreciate just how rare those encounters are.
You get used to cold, confused looks. You get used to not being invited places. But you never really get used to the hurt.
It's a special someone that opens their heart completely to a person with a developmental disorder. This stranger was that someone.
Even toward the end of the flight when Kate became overwhelmed, screaming for her mother to open the plane door, he patiently tried to distract her with her dolls, when most people would have thrown daggers with their eyes, urging Mom to keep your kid quiet. As if any of us enjoy seeing our child in distress.
It could have ended there, with a heartfelt blog, but a funny thing happened next—the mystery businessman read the post and got in touch with Mouland. Thanking her for her words, he insisted he "didn’t want any recognition."
Mouland hopes that if anything comes of her letter, it's that people realize it is possible—and rewarding—to engage with children who have autism. I couldn't agree more.
"[Kate] doesn’t really know what you’re saying," said Mouland. "She’ll get confused and maybe talk about Ninja Turtles because that’s her thing, but just go with it. I wish people would just be more free with it."
Another moving random act of kindness.
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