Alright, so I’m in the process of getting my donations page set up & also creating a better website. I don’t have much to work with at the moment, so it’s difficult, but the support I’ve been getting from people is wonderful. I know some questions have come up about the fund & my goals, so I thought I’d take the time to answer some questions…

First off, right now support is mostly what I’m looking for. Donations would be great, but I understand that people would rather donate to something more established & also that most people who would be interested in this cause don’t really have much money to spare. That’s perfectly alright. All I need at the moment is more people to get behind my cause in order for it to get bigger. 

Secondly, yes my main goal in creating this fund was to raise money for my mom. I still plan on doing this, however, I don’t want it to seem as though I’m merely doing this for selfish reasons. I’m totally & completely committed to keeping this fund going & raising money for others. I understand that there are plenty of other better organizations that are raising money for research & education, but what I really hope to accomplish with mine is to help people right now. Medical bills, prescriptions, etc… those kinds of things can’t wait & need to be taken care of. I really want to focus on the little ways in which my fund can help individuals that are in need of assistance as soon as possible. I want to make it easier & take the stress off of those who are dealing with an illness that doesn’t allow them to work or earn as much money as they need. I know it might sound impossible, but I need to try. 

Thirdly, someone mentioned how creating more organizations will split up & take money away from places that really need it. I plan to donate to any organization that does research on this illness, but this will most likely have to wait until the future. Right now, I’m focusing on the small things, but in my mind I have great plans for this fund & if it can get bigger & more well known, then money will without doubt be going towards research as well as the other things I mentioned above. 

The problem is that I have such a huge idea & what I want to do won’t happen overnight. I need to pace myself & take it day by day. I hope that my answers might have cleared up any misunderstandings to do with this fund. I really appreciate people taking the time to ask me questions & show an interest. Thank you!

I just wanted to give a BIG thank you to all my new followers. This means more to me then you know. 

I’m still waiting for the donation link to be activated, but in the meantime you can all help out by reblogging/sharing our Tumblr page & also our Facebook page as much as you can. If any of you have any other sites that you feel might have an interest in this, feel free to share them there as well. 

Again, if any of you have any questions/ideas/suggestions I would love to hear them. You know where to reach me. 

Thank you again for your support.

My name is Karissa & my idea for The Fibromyalgia Education, Visibility, & Research Fund came to me at about 4am this morning. Yes, I have horrible insomnia, but it seems that I get some of my best ideas when I can’t sleep.

Anyway, let me give you all a little background information so you can see where I’m coming from. When I was six years old my mom, Susan, caught Mononucleosis. This went on for some time & eventually turned into what they call Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Not only was my mom in pain, but she wasn’t able to do most of the daily activities that she would normally have no problem doing. I was quite young, but I remember going from doctor to doctor with my parents trying to find an answer to what was happening. Some doctors suggested that she see a psychiatrist because they believed it was nothing more than an mental illness. Other doctors told her to just push through the pain & exhaustion. 

Now, I’ve known my mom all my life (obviously) & we’re very close. She’s a hardworking woman who wants nothing more than to be able to feel well so she can make a living. She’s passionate, kind, very stubborn (as am I), & she’s not the type of person to just give up. For years, she’s been fighting to find the best doctors & the best medicines to help her feel the best that she possibly can. 

About eight or nine years ago, my mom finally found a wonderful doctor who was just as passionate as she. She ran a bunch of new tests & discovered that my mom actually had what they call Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have very similar symptoms & it’s very common for individuals to have both simultaneously. It was never really clear if my mom started with one & ended with the other, or if she had always had them together, but at least now we can all put a name (or names) to her symptoms.  

My major goal for The F.E.V.R. Fund is to raise money to pay for her medical bills, rent, & eventually buy her a new car. About five years ago when I going into my senior year of high school, my mom had to stop working because of this illness. She taught for over 20 years at an elementary school & actually really enjoyed her job, however, it got to the point where it became extremely difficult for her to put her all into her work. It was both disappointing & frustrating for her to make the decision to leave her position. Friends & family didn’t & still don’t understand, but she has always had & always will have my understanding & my support. Since then, we’ve lost some of the little luxuries that we had been used to living with & it’s caused great stress. My mom always manages to stay positive though & keep the fight going. 

Once my goal is reached, I plan to keep The F.E.V.R. Fund going so it can help other families/individuals who might be in similar situations. It shouldn’t be as hard as it is for people to get help. It’s been an ongoing struggle for us & I know it’s been an ongoing struggle for millions of others out there.

Please take the time to donate & help spread the truth about Fibromyalgia. I would love to hear from you all, so if you have any questions/comments/ideas, feel free to contact me on here, Facebook, or you can reach me at: karissahuff222@yahoo.com

Thank you.