Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Please Consider Helping Svetlana

     The teen years and early young adulthood can be turbulent. You often feel you don't fit in anywhere. You are trying to break free from your family and form your own identity. There is anxiety and stress, but also the happiness and sense of adventure that can come with new experiences. There can be friction with your family as you pull away and bond with your friends. It can be caused by your making a choice to follow a career path your family might not agree with-forgoing a teaching certificate to get a fine arts master's  or majoring in an obscure language.
     I know I experienced these normal ups and downs as did most of my friends. I also know that no matter how much I was annoyed by small conflicts with my family, I was always grateful that they were there to guide or at least console me as I made my way on my life's journey.
     I cannot begin to imagine what life must be like for Svetlana. She has not had the support of family to guide her in her young life. She is an orphan that grew up with the minimal care of an orphanage. She has one very much younger half brother that is living here in the U.S.-having been adopted by a friend of mine and her husband. Now my friend is working to be an advocate for Svetlana-as Svetlana has fond herself in a dire situation.
     Svetlana is severely ill with tuberculosis. She lives in Ukraine. Ukraine is in turmoil right now. It is hard for Svetlana to receive care because of this and because she is poor and an orphan. Kim de Belcourt is working to arrange care and treatment for Svetlana. She has set up a campaign to raise funds for this young lady. Please go to the Facebook page that has been set up to provide information about this situation and please consider if you may be able to help somehow.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Svetlana/248103858705210