Woman in battle of her life after stroke
Friends, family rally to provide couple with financial support
Carly White is in the battle of her life, and her husband, Nathanial, has been by her side every step of the way.
While Carly faces a trying time ahead, a grassroots campaign is underway to help offset the mounting cost that comes with being hospitalized in St. John’s.
She is expected to be in hospital for three months before heading home to Gander.
The morning of July 31, Carly called her workplace to say she was going to the hospital.
Theresa Carroll, her boss and longtime friend, explained that White mentioned experiencing an intense pressure in her head.
Carroll was later informed Carly had suffered a thrombolytic stroke, which led to swelling in her brain.
Doctors operated to relieve the pressure and create more room in the skull cavity to allow minor swelling in the future without catastrophic effects.
Stepping up
Carly’s longtime friend, Shaylin Brush, has established a Gofundme page and has been co-ordinating various donations from those offering support.
The donation page raised more than $5,000 in the first two days.
Numerous businesses are also offering support, including employer Mary Brown’s in Gander, which plans to hold a fundraiser on Sept. 5.
Residents have been contacting family members and friends to offer assistance, and Brush hopes the Gofundme page will assist with costs associated with the estimated three-month stay in hospital as well as costs at home.
Both Carroll and Brush know how expensive this ordeal is, given that the couple’s incomes have come to a halt since Carly was hospitalized, and bills still have to be paid.
Carroll said the mounting support for their friends has been overwhelming.
“They are very well known and loved throughout Gander and the surrounding area,” she said. “We’ve known each other for four years, so it’s like this is happening to your sister. It’s like stepping up and looking after your own.”
Caroll noted the support would not go unnoticed.
“When you kind of start something like that, it’s kind of see how it goes, and to see the response, it means a lot, and I know Carly will certainly appreciate it,” she said.