Michelle Gillespie's Fundraiser

Please consider supporting ANAC – a small charity whose cause if very close to my heart! This year, I will be spreading my steps over the week-long event. From October 5 to 12, I will be walking/hiking/biking daily (rain or shine!) on various routes throughout Grimsby and surrounding areas. Please reach out if you'd like to join "Team Sassy Fierce"!

Every little bit counts! Whether you decide to join my team, donate to my fundraising page, or help me spread the word by sharing my link, you will be making a difference!

My story in a nutshell:

When I was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma in December 2019 and underwent brain surgery two short months later, little did I know it would change my life forever! Completely unprepared for the difficult journey ahead, I was faced with many post-op complications including facial paralysis, single-sided deafness, balance issues and fatigue among the most debilitating. It's hard to believe it's been nearly 5 years! As ANAC's National Operations Director as of January 2023, I am now committing much of my time and energy to serving an organization whose mission is very close to my heart: to provide accurate, up-to-date information and ongoing support to individuals with an acoustic neuroma, and their families, to help improve their quality of life. 

Why do we fundraise? The reason is twofold:

1) We need to fund our mission! As a non-profit charity, we depend on memberships and donations as our primary source of revenue. All funds raised go directly towards our valuable members' services including: support groups, one-on-one peer support, education events (i.e., webinars and symposiums), access to expert advice through our Medical Advisory Committee, website resources, and our very own publication, The Connection newsletter. 

2) We need to raise awareness! As a rare disease, acoustic neuroma is not well recognized leading to delayed or misdiagnosis. Early detection means better quality-of-life treatment options for those diagnosed, making awareness of acoustic neuroma and its symptoms so important! We also need to raise awareness about ANAC's very existence so that those diagnosed know where they can turn to for support and resources to help them navigate this difficult journey. 

With gratitude,

Michelle