My dear friend, Sonya Haggett. Jill and I love you!
To quote my dear friend, Sonya Hagett, “F#$k Cystic Fibrosis.”
Sonya knows of what she speaks because she has Cystic Fibrosis.
Sonya is also an amazing social worker, an amazing salsa dancer, and, most importantly, an amazing person.
She has been one of my salsa sisters for as long as I can remember dancing. And I started dancing 14 years ago and I know Sonya was dancing well before I started.
She is, without question, part of mi familia de salsa.
I’ve written on this blog before asking for donations for people and I thank you for whatever you’ve given.
I’m asking again.
Here’s the story.
Sonya is in her 30s (I won’t say more because I don’t want her to hop on a plane, fly to Beijing, and kick my butt for saying her true age, lol) and a walking wonder.
She has lived beyond what used to be the “expected” age for people diagnosed with CF and she refuses to give up or have a negative attitude about life.
I can’t actually remember her ever being sad or depressed.
She’s a fighter and a winner.
Maybe it is because she knew that each moment was to be cherished and that life could easily be taken away from her.
I think I understand, a little, of what she is going through since I was involved in a car crash when I was four years old that resulted in two different brain surgeries for me to survive it.
When something like that happens, from what I’ve seen and experienced, the outcomes seem to be give up and just move along or stand up and decide to live each moment to the fullest.
Sonya does this every single day of her life.
In the very near future, Sonya will be getting a double lung transplant and insurance is covering a good amount of this procedure.
What insurance won’t cover is the hotel that she needs to stay at (within 10 miles of the hospital) for the 6 weeks of after care.
The insurance won’t cover her food.
The insurance won’t cover her transportation.
The insurance won’t cover her home health support.
The insurance won’t cover a lot of things she needs to survive after the actual surgery.
This is where I ask you to support Sonya and donate to COTA in honor of Sonya.
She deserves it and I know you have the ability to give a little bit of money, even 5 dollars, right now, to support her.
And, if you can, give a lot more.
Her life, in all honesty, depends on it.
Jill and I gave 100 USD.
I hope you decide to give what feels right to you.
Even if it is just 5 dollars because any amount helps and the more you give the more you help to save Sonya’s life.
I have a simple question for you: How much is a person’s life worth to you at this moment?
Click this link: Children’s Organ Transplant Association
There is also a party for Sonya on May 31st in Oakland.
If you decide you want to go and donate to COTA in honor of Sonya in person, please give her a HUGE hug for Jill and me, as we can not attend since we are here in Beijing.
Facebook link: Soiree for Sonya
Jill and I would be incredibly grateful if you did.