💜 Help Our Family Through Amanda’s Brain Surgery💜
💜 Help Our Family Through Amanda’s Brain & Spine Surgery 💜
Hello, my name is Amanda, and I’m preparing for a major brain and spine surgery that has turned our entire world upside down.
For months now, I’ve been struggling with intense symptoms — from severe headaches, neck and shoulder pain, dizziness, and muscle weakness, to numbness and difficulty focusing or speaking clearly when I’m in pain. Tasks that used to come so easily — baking bread for my customers, decorating cookies, face painting at events, or even chasing my toddlers around — now leave me exhausted or in tears.
After countless appointments and tests, I learned that I have compression in my brain and spinal area that is affecting my balance, coordination, and daily function. My neurologist at UC Davis has scheduled surgery to prevent it from getting worse and to hopefully relieve some of these debilitating symptoms.
As I face this major surgery, I’ve had to pause my home bakery, “Sweet Treats by Artty Cheeks,” and my face painting & henna business — the small businesses that helped support our family. My husband will need to take time off work to care for me and our six children (ages 2 to 20), all while receiving no income during that time.
We’ve already been hit with financial strain — our mortgage increased by $400, our solar tru-up balance came due, and medical and travel expenses for hospital visits and upcoming surgery are piling up. Despite our best efforts to budget, sell items, and cut costs, we’re falling behind.
Our goal is to raise $12,000 to help us:
• Cover the mortgage and utilities while we have no income
• Pay for medical travel, lodging, and prescriptions
• Handle recovery expenses
• Provide basic necessities and groceries for our kids
• Give our younger children a simple Christmas during this difficult time
We’ve always been the type to give to others — whether it’s through baked goods for fundraisers, painting faces at community events, or helping friends in need. Asking for help doesn’t come easy for us, but right now, we’re humbled to reach out and ask for your support.
Even a $5 donation or sharing this link helps us more than words can express. Please help us get through this chapter and keep a roof over our heads while I recover and work toward healing.
From the bottom of our hearts — thank you for your prayers, kindness, and generosity. 💜
– Amanda & Family
https://gofund.me/3f602e006
Amanda’s story profoundly highlights how critical support can be when facing life-altering medical procedures such as brain and spine surgery. Brain and spinal cord compression can cause debilitating symptoms, including headaches, muscle weakness, dizziness, and difficulty with speech and coordination, severely impacting daily living and ability to work. Surgeries to address such conditions aim to relieve pressure on the nervous system to prevent further deterioration and improve quality of life, but they require significant recovery time. For families like Amanda’s, the financial burden often extends beyond medical bills to include lost income, increased household costs, and travel expenses for specialized treatment. Pausing business activities, such as Amanda’s home bakery and face painting services, adds to these stresses, especially when caregiving responsibilities fall to family members who must take time off work. Community support efforts, whether through donations or sharing fundraising campaigns, can provide essential relief. Contributions help cover mortgage payments, utilities, prescriptions, and other recovery-related expenses, allowing families to focus on healing without the added anxiety of financial strain. During the holiday season, ensuring children have a joyful experience despite hardships can also uplift the entire family’s spirit. If you or someone you know faces a similar challenge, consider organizing local support networks, meal trains, or small business promotions that can help provide income or services during recovery periods. Awareness about brain and spine surgery, its symptoms, and recovery process is equally important—early diagnosis and treatment can prevent worsening conditions. Amanda's courage in sharing her story and her plea for help reflects a universal need for compassion and community during difficult times. Your generosity, no matter how small, can make a meaningful difference in their journey toward recovery and stability. Helping hands and shared kindness truly help keep roofs over heads and hope alive when it’s needed most.