Ebony Butler

**Dear Family, Friends, and Supporters, **

I’m reaching out to you today with a heavy heart but also with hope. The purpose of this letter, and the reason I’m creating this website, is to ask for your help in raising funds for critical medical expenses related to a blood disease I have and a kidney transplant that I urgently need.

Over the past few months, I’ve kept much to myself, but now it’s time to share my story with you. It all started back in October 2023. I noticed I wasn’t feeling well—gaining weight, feeling fatigued, and unable to work out like I used to. I chalked it up to getting older, determined to push through as I’ve always done. But things took a turn when my vision began to blur, and a visit to the eye doctor revealed that my eye was bleeding. Even then, I didn’t fully grasp the gravity of the situation.

In November, a routine follow-up with my eye doctor led to an alarming discovery: my blood pressure was dangerously high at 204/100. She insisted I go to the Emergency Room immediately. But as a single mother, I had responsibilities—so I picked up my daughter from school, took her home, finished some urgent work, and then headed to the hospital.

Once there, everything changed. What I thought was a routine check-up quickly escalated into a full-blown heart attack. I spent two weeks in the hospital, including a week in the ICU, as doctors worked to stabilize my condition. It was during my hospital stay that I was diagnosed with Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS), a rare and life-threatening blood disease that was causing my kidneys to fail. At the same time, my heart needed to be treated as well. Treating my heart caused further injury to my kidneys. My kidney function dropped to just 5%, and I was told I needed a transplant.

The past few months have been a whirlwind of emotions and challenges. Raising a 14-year-old daughter while grappling with a chronic, life-threatening illness is incredibly tough. She’s already endured the loss of her aunt and grandmother in the past four years, and now she’s facing the uncertainty of her mother’s health.

I’ve tried to stay strong, but the burden is overwhelming. Along with my health, I’ve lost my sense of security, peace, and even my man, who couldn’t handle the strain of my illness. It’s been an incredibly difficult time, but I’m not giving up. I’m fighting for my life, for my daughter’s future, and for the chance to be there for her as she grows up.

Now, I’m asking for your help. The costs of my treatment and the transplant are astronomical, and I can’t do this alone. Every donation, no matter how small, will go directly towards covering my medical expenses, which are expected to run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Your support means the world to me, and I’m grateful for any help you can provide. Together, we can overcome this challenge, and I can focus on what truly matters—being there for my daughter and living a life full of hope and health.

In addition to monetary contributions, you can help by following my journey, praying for me and even sharing my story. I’m an extremely private person so this is all very difficult for me. As I walk this path, it is helpful to know that I don’t walk alone.

More information will be forthcoming about this journey.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

With gratitude,

Ebony