Helping a Friend I've Never Met

I've posted this link a couple of times on my fan page and I've seen a couple of others do the same, but perhaps more people will be reached and the net will grow larger if I post this on my blog today.

Etsy's Aardvark Silver owner, Tanya, is literally fighting for her life. An expatriate (of the US, I think) who went to Thailand, fell in love with the place and a person, and decided to call Thailand home six years ago has fallen upon very difficult times. Newly (and abruptly) single, she is in need of immediate surgery to correct a circulation problem in her arm which is causing muscle and tissue in her arm to die. The "plumbing job" needed is a relatively routine procedure, however it is quite expensive and Tanya cannot afford this procedure without help. Without the surgery, at the pace at which the medical problem is causing her tissue to deteriorate, the doctor has given her 3 -4 weeks before she loses the use of her arm and hand altogether and the rest of her body will follow quickly from there. This is urgent, obviously. She has had to postpone the surgery once already and is working full tilt to earn the money through her Etsy shops, where she sells precious and gemstones and silver, as well as handcrafted jewelry.

So far she has raised a little over $2,000 of the needed $12,000. In Thailand, if you can't pay, you don't get treated. Tanya is alone in a country where she doesn't speak the language, living in a second floor apartment, needing money for life-saving surgery and needing to prepare for 4 weeks in the hospital, followed by a long recovery at home, which must be prepared for her convalescence before she goes. I cannot begin to imagine the overwhelming task at hand and am asking all my readers to do whatever you can to help Tanya. Perhaps you need supplies? Would you like to stock up on some gifts of jewelry to give throughout the coming year?



How about a monetary donation? Every little bit helps. If you can help spread the word about Tanya, that would help tremendously, as well. And your prayers would be most welcome, too. Thank you all so much.

Here are the links to sites where you can learn more about Tanya and check out her shops, website, Facebook Fan Page, and blog:

Aardvark Silver

Aardvark Silver on Etsy
Aardvark Silver on Artfire
$9.00 Earrings on Etsy
Aardvark Silver blog
Aardvark Silver's Fan Page on Facebook