(COMMUNICATED CONTENT)

Try to imagine what it must be like for a young mother to be chronically ill for decades. Shulamit M. is just 46 years old but she has been sick since she was in her 20’s.

Shortly after her wedding to her husband Yitzchak, Shulamit M. of Beitar developed a severe case of Fibromyalgia. It immediately manifested itself in constant, excruciating joint pains, extreme weakness and tremors. She also developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with its myriad of debilitating symptoms, and then just a few years later, a terrible skin condition.

All these painful issues took a heavy toll on Shulamit’s life. She couldn’t work or take care of anything in their home like cooking for her family or cleaning. She could barely walk or spend quality time with her children. She has been primarily bedridden ever since her initial diagnosis, dealing with all these issues all this time.

CLICK HERE to help Shulamit

Shulamit’s condition has also affected her emotional state. She has become severely depressed due to her suffering. While she feels blessed to have a wonderful, supportive husband and beautiful family, the prolonged pain and discomfort have made it hard for her to find value in living. Her youngest child also has been affected. Growing up with a chronically ill mother has caused her to develop intense anxiety. She suffers from panic attacks and insomnia, and requires the help of a therapist.

By looking at her photo, you can’t tell that Shulamit is very sick and has been suffering every day since becoming ill so many years ago. She has tried so many treatments to find some relief and has visited countless doctors, paying thousands of shekels out of pocket to cover the fees, but without meaningful success. She also pays 1800 shekels a month to purchase crucial pain medications that aren’t covered by insurance. With her inability to work and Yitzchak’s salary as a part time school coordinator, their medical and daily expenses have been causing them to slip into debt for some time.

CLICK HERE to help Shulamit

Shulamit’s story is discouraging but there is one small ray of hope. A few years ago her doctor recommended that she visit a clinic in Davos, Switzerland- renowned for its healing benefits due to its altitude. She scraped together funds for a short visit which proved to be beneficial: this woman who couldn’t walk for ten minutes at home, was able to walk for two hours in Davos. It also gave Shulamit strength for a few months afterwards.

The M’s emunah is strong. Yitzchak says “Everything Hashem does is for the good. With this though, we daven that He will see that it has been enough suffering for Shulamit, and that we should be able to live as a healthy, functioning family.” With her health in a constant poor state, and her resulting depression Yitzchak feels that getting help for Shulamit at this point is a matter of pikuach nefesh.

Yitzchak wants nothing more than to alleviate some of his wife’s pain-he says it can’t be described in words. We are therefore turning to you. We too want Shulamit to find some respite from her misery. Please help us raise $5,000 to fund basic housekeeping help, assistance with doctors’ fees, several months’ worth of essential medications, plus the crucial expenses for Shulamit to get some much needed clinical treatment in Davos. Together we can help mitigate some of her endless suffering, and likely bring some relief to her family, too.

CLICK HERE to help Shulamit