cleolinda | (no subject)

Okay. I was so worried and upset over the weekend that I didn't do a very good job of laying out the actual problem for which we are raising the money (again). And those of you who have asked for verification are absolutely in the right, as it is all too easy to get scammed on the internet. I didn't think to lay it out for y'all because the donation link took you to Christina's site, where there's a big ol' link on the sidebar to "Verification." There are also pictures of Christina after surgery on the main page.

A comment Christina originally posted to someone else:

Just to update you. The controversy did help raise some money that helped me to get care over the last four months. On the down side my husband received his pink slip today and he has lost his job to outsourcing. With it he is losing his insurance. Now I'm really in a bad situation!

On top of the cancer I was in the process of having gastric bypass done to save my life (as ordered by the doctors at Mayo Clinic because of the 19 other health problems I have inluding just diagnosed pre-diabetes which would be cured with this surgery) to help me get out of bed and on my feet again. I am to the point I was to meet with the surgeon on March 25 and set the surgery date. But without insurance, no bypass surgery and no insurance for the cancer tests and treatment. Because the COBRA insurance will cost $1250.03 a month and that is almost what my hubby will get in unemployment we can't afford the insurance.

[...]

Without this surgery the doctors are saying I will have a heart attack or stroke not If but When, and that is not even taking into consideration the expensive tests I need for the cancer care.

This is what I read just before I ran over here and said, "Y'all, Christina is in trouble and I'm scared."

Christina went back into the hospital shortly after she posted that comment. A fresh email from Jillian, Christina's daughter:

Hi Cleo,

Could you include with a future post about the 4Christina stuff?

1. Mum's cancer is called "Acinic Cell Carcinoma." (Here is a site for it, http://www.aciniccell.org/)

2. She is not asking for money to pay for a Gastric Bypass surgery, it is to continue getting tests to make sure the cancer has not returned. Besides getting medicines that control her conditions. (There is no remission with this type of cancer, just dormant times. The person who runs the site linked above, has been dealing with this cancer for over 20+ years and has to my knowledge, 4 active periods with the cancer.)

3. She does not get many medical things done locally because she has had many run-ins with bad doctors. (Including before she found out about the cancer, one local doctor told her the lump was nothing and to go home and suck on lemon drops.) Which is also why she is scared of losing the insurance.

4. She is not dying [in the hospital at this moment].

5. She has 19 medical conditions, Mayo Clinic has them on file. These all interact with each other and sometimes cause the other conditions to flare up.

Here's a link to a news story about Christina's husband losing his job that mentions her ongoing illness, by the way.

The reason I'm posting this is because most people discussing the issue agree that there is legitimate illness going on here. It's been well-documented, and there is no question of that. What people have been asking is whether the money is needed for the cancer or for the other problems. My personal answer is that I don't care. The problems are real, the cancer wiped out their finances and possibly caused or contributed to other problems, and whether it comes back or not, the need is still there. I'm not asking you to help out because Christina is Teh Poster Girl For Teh Cancer; I'm asking you to help because someone is in great need.

This doesn't seem to be good enough for some observers.

I'm not going to link to the wank because I don't want to fan the flames, but suffice it to say, it's literally the ugliest thing I've ever seen in the Harry Potter fandom, and that's saying a lot. However, to give you an idea, because I don't think it's fair to mention it and then keep you in the dark, here's an example of the kind of things people were saying:

Honestly, I have zero sympathy for this person anyway.

We're all dying[,] bitch. It's enevitable [sic]. And sorry, just because she claims to have this SOOPER RARE OMG cancer does not mean her cancer and illness is OMG BEING IGNORED by research--I can guarantee you if they suddenly solve the mystery of breast cancer and discover its cure, then that cure will translate to other cancers as well and voila--everyone benefits. What this person is asking for is HELP IN PAYING HER BILLS.

To which I must say, get a freaking job or contact your local church or government or something. Maybe get rid of that livejournal paid account. Lots of people have bills and lots of people have medical problems. And even more people--actually, *all* of us--will die. Get over it.

In fact, a very angry anonymouse over at Fandom Wank (which has largely been supporting Christina) actually called to investigate 4christina.org (I know, y'all) after these trolls got involved, got the name of the site wrong, and started claiming all kinds of things. What Angermouse (who's on our side) discovered:

The first lady I was talking to said that no, it wasn't a registered charity. When I asked if there had been any complaints about it, I was put through to another guy (he answered with: 'attorney general's office') who gave me more info.

Some facts:

They have no knowledge of any complaints about http://www.4Christina.org (you even got the name wrong!)

http://www.4christina.org wouldn't qualify for charitable status because the money collected would have to benefit more than one person and not just Christina herself. He said that people collect money to help out friends in need all the time and there's nothing wrong with it. They just don't qualify for the tax breaks associated with charitable status.

Personally, I am satisfied that there is illness and that there is need. If you would prefer to give to a large organization for research instead of directly to one person, I completely understand.

Here's my final word on it: I wanted to bring this problem to the attention to people who could afford to help and on top of that wanted to. There are a lot of people and a lot of causes that need your time and your resources. I am completely unoffended if you do not want to help, or can't afford to, or are too young to. Please take care of yourself before you try to help someone else. All I'm doing with the "will parody for donations" thing is trying to find 1) an incentive for you, 2) a specific window of time in which to donate, and 3) a way to thank you for doing so.

I don't want to twist your arm, I don't feel entitled to coerce you, and I am paying absolutely no attention to the names of the people who do and do not donate. This may surprise you, but I can't even remember what I had for dinner last night. It's in one ear and out the other, so to speak. And even when I do read the names, I am seriously not attaching any moral value to your donating or not donating. So when people go out of their way to tell me that they didn't, I'm kind of like... why are you telling me? It's not like I'd noticed who did and who didn't. (Although God bless y'all who commented and said, "I can't give anything, but I'm keeping Christina in my prayers.") So, in conclusion: no guilt, no coercion, no problem.

As for this entry? I'm a little conflicted here, because I think it's within your rights to ask honest, well-meaning follow-up questions. But I swear to God, my blood pressure cannot handle a flame war in this journal. If you so much as look at another commenter cross-eyed, I will ban you from this journal so fast your head will spin. If you want to get your Geraldo Rivera on, fine--go do it in your own journal. And if you dare go over to Christina's journal and bitch at her there, as has already happened, I will shun you and everything you ever loved from the face of this planet. And I know that most of my regulars wouldn't do that--but if you see someone else being vile, don't engage them, either. If people are going to be asshats, you just let them do that and let them embarrass themselves. This is the same advice I have given to Jillian herself, because she doesn't need to be dealing with these people right now. As for me, this journal is Switzerland--NEUTRAL--and if you want to be welcome here, you'll remember that. I have enough friendly anonymice that I'm not going to ban or screen anonymous comments... for now. SO BEHAVE YOURSELVES, PEOPLE.

Thank you so much to everyone who could and has given already. Christina and Jillian appreciate it so, so much.

My original entry.

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