Help Tara DeFrancisco with medical costs
Fundraising campaign by
Nicola Tann
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£4,806.00raised of £5,000.00 goal goal
No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities
Campaign Story
"The pain was so bad, I was sure it was going to just immediately kill me. But somehow here I still am.”
Tara said this about the disc that burst in her spine last week, paralysing her – the one that now has her hospitalised (fresh out of surgery and in recovery as I type), has astonished her doctors, and has her facing at least tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills.
AT LEAST. We simply don't know the cost yet, but it's gonna be big.
Tara is excellent. One of the good ones. A great-hearted force of nature who has poured an impossible amount of love and good into the world – as an improviser, a teacher and a human.
And she's ill. Very, very ill. And she’s been ill for an awfully long time. She’s had serious heart failure along with a series of ruptured discs. The former condition means it’s almost impossible to properly treat the latter.
For months now, she's been in constant chronic pain, unable to stand or sit properly. For years her doctors have found it hard to understand how she keeps on. But keep on she does.
Tara’s medical insurance disappeared in March. As anyone familiar with the American health system knows, this is a terrifying situation to be in. Today she faced terrifying surgery that could help correct or improve it. She's brave. Brave as hell. But the cost...
Here’s where you can help. If you’re lucky enough to know Tara, or if you’ve ever been taught by her or seen her perform, or if you know someone who knows her, or even if you are just somebody who thinks that no-one deserves this kind of financial stress on top of life-threatening illness and surgery, please give what you can to this appeal. Give whatever you can afford. Or have a collection at work. Or turn your next improv show into a fundraiser. Or something else... But let's help.
NB The target on this fundraiser is below what will be needed, but I wanted to be realistic AND aspirational, somehow... I chose GoGetFunding as any funds that are raised will be donated, whether we fall short of the target, or surpass it. LET'S SURPASS IT!
(OH! And when you make your donation, also share a memory of you and Tara.)
Organizer
- Nicola Tann
- Campaign Owner
Donors
- Anonymous
- Donated on Nov 01, 2017
- Antti Hallamäki
- Donated on Nov 01, 2017
First night of summer intensive, Tara doing the DeFransisCo, and yours truly gets picked- Never have I been so anxious/terrified, but at the same time felt so safe and at ease. After the show, every time I get on the stage, I can go back to that moment and remember that everything is going to go just fine. For this, I shall be eternally grateful.
Five days left…
Update posted by Nicola Tann at 02:33 pmSecondly, in case you've not heard, the surgery went well, and Tara's at home recuperating, which is great. It's gonna take a while, and she's still very tired and in a lot of pain, which is less great. Here's a link to a post Tara made yesterday about how she's
Donors & Comments
- Regine Karlsen
- Donated on Nov 02, 2017
I took the best workshop with you, Tara, the summer of 2015 at iO. Truly an eye opener with tons of love and support. Good luck with recovering, the improv community needs your good spirit.
- Anonymous
- Donated on Nov 01, 2017
- Antti Hallamäki
- Donated on Nov 01, 2017
First night of summer intensive, Tara doing the DeFransisCo, and yours truly gets picked- Never have I been so anxious/terrified, but at the same time felt so safe and at ease. After the show, every time I get on the stage, I can go back to that moment and remember that everything is going to go just fine. For this, I shall be eternally grateful.
- rosie james
- Donated on Nov 01, 2017
- Kevin Miller
- Donated on Nov 01, 2017
Go Tara!!
- Ron Fatica
- Donated on Oct 18, 2017
- Dona Ursu
- Donated on Oct 17, 2017
- Kevin Cope
- Donated on Oct 17, 2017
Our favourite memory is all of them. You are so inspiring both on and off stage & we are so lucky to know you! We love you & hope to see you sooner than june! - Melissa, Sarah, Kevin, & the rest of Pants Labyrinth
- Julia Poehlmann
- Donated on Oct 16, 2017
- Christine Welsh-Buck
- Donated on Oct 16, 2017
xoxo much love to Tara & Rance! can't wait to see you up & strong at TIR!
I took the best workshop with you, Tara, the summer of 2015 at iO. Truly an eye opener with tons of love and support. Good luck with recovering, the improv community needs your good spirit.