Emily Progin, Content Manager
eprogin@helphopelive.org / 800.642.8399
Release: Immediate
APRIL 21: “MIRACLE FOR MIA” FUNDRAISER WILL PROVIDE HELP & HOPE
Support 21-Year-Old Mia Andrilla at Tankie’s via Nonprofit Help Hope Live
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—On Sunday, April 21, the community will come together to create a Miracle for Mia as they fundraise for the nonprofit Help Hope Live in honor of Mia Andrilla, a 21-year-old who has been living with paralysis since a sudden and mysterious medical event in 2021.
Miracle for Mia Fundraiser Details
When: Sunday, April 21 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Tankie’s Tavern (new location) at 38 Jackson Street, Philadelphia, PA
What: Fundraiser for Help Hope Live in honor of Mia Andrilla to assist with medical bills, physical therapy, medical equipment, and more.
Cost: $25 donation includes t-shirt, food, and non-alcoholic beverage
Flyer: Click Here
Buy tickets: https://events.helphopelive.org/event/6001/signup/
Mia’s Story
On August 11, 2021, Mia Andrilla woke up with neck pain and numbness and tingling in her arm. Before the end of the day, she would be rushed to the ICU and diagnosed with a shocking condition: C3/C4 quadriplegia. Today, 21-year-old Mia and her family are navigating their new normal of life with paralysis while fundraising for the rehabilitation Mia needs to regain as much mobility and independence as possible.
Before this sudden medical event, Mia had completed her first year of college at St. Joseph’s University and had transferred to Temple University to continue her degree while living at home. In 2021, her life changed in an instant.
Mom Stephanie Andrilla, a registered nurse in oncology, got Mia to the emergency room. She spent 12 hours there under intensive care, eventually losing all sensation below her neck. Doctors diagnosed her with a spinal cord stroke at the C3/C4 level—but they are still unsure exactly what caused the stroke and left her with paralysis.
Mia pursued intensive rehabilitation at Magee Hospital, and a month post-stroke, she was able to start moving her toes. After two-and-a-half months, she was finally able to return home.
Mia received intensive five-day-per-week ongoing therapy, which helped her make incredible strides with her mobility and wellness. Her mom, an oncology nurse, has stepped away from full-time work to become her caregiver. However, after four months, insurance cut off Mia’s eligibility for intensive therapy.
Since the cutoff, Mia has noticed a drastic change—she experiences pain, spasms, and tightness. Wanting the best for Mia’s future and her health, her family turned to the national nonprofit Help Hope Live to help fund ongoing and life-changing therapy.
Donations can be made at: https://helphopelive.org/campaign/22450/
Funds raised through the Miracle for Mia will be donated to Help Hope Live in Mia’s honor.
Insurance does not cover the cost of this therapy despite its proven medical and mobility benefits. As mom Stephanie explained, “Someone’s financial ability should not determine the amount of recovery that they can make. Their outcome shouldn’t be limited by what they can afford to do.”
Mia has remained resilient and determined despite the frequent frustrations she has to endure. She has returned to Temple as an online student: “She remains focused on a bright and beautiful future,” said Stephanie.
Fundraising is the key ingredient that will bridge the gap between what insurance is willing to cover and what Mia truly needs to heal, live, and thrive—both now and in the future.
Unlike a GoFundMe campaign, donations to Help Hope Live are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, and all funds raised will be managed by the nonprofit to cover verified medical and related expenses. Help Hope Live verifies medical and financial need for every patient.
Help Hope Live is a national nonprofit that specializes in engaging communities in secure, tax-deductible fundraising campaigns for people who need a transplant or are affected by a catastrophic injury or illness. Since 1983, campaigns organized by Help Hope Live have raised over $181 million to pay patient expenses.
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Written by Emily Progin
