By Robin Tarnowetzki
Journal Editor
Sometimes, Humboldt resident Trinity Stumborg is in so much pain in the morning that she has to crawl to the bathroom. She can't golf with her husband and she has a hard time travelling.
Two years ago, Stumborg was diagnosed with a pituitary brain tumour, which was followed by other ailments such as chronic pelvic pain and problems with her kidneys. She's also had a complete hysterectomy. Now, she's turning to alternative medicine to help and is crowdfunding to accomplish this.
Crowdfunding is very similar to traditional fundraising, but makes its appeal to groups of people as a whole. It's also usually targeted towards a specific person or project, such as in the case of Stumborg.
"I feel pain every day," Stumborg said. "I'm fairly dependent on taking pain medications. I'm exhausted all the time. I can go for a walk for a couple blocks and I'm exhausted. Trying to work is impossible because I can't be at work for more than an hour or two and then I want to go home and go to sleep or I'm in so much pain I can't do anything. Jobs don't want you at work when you're on narcotic pain meds, so I can't work. You're stuck at home and not making an income and stuff like that."
The doctors that she's seen have no idea what is causing her pain, and right now are mostly trying to help Stumborg manage the pain.
"Maybe one day it will just resolve itself and I'll feel better," she said. "At this point they're like 'It is what it is, and you'll just have to learn how to deal with it.'"
She got the idea of crowdsource funding from a friend. So far, she's raised $725 of a $5,000 goal. That has gone towards seeing a naturopath, acupuncture, and meds that she needs to manage the pain day to day.
"I'm at the point where I'm willing to try anything," she said. "I don't want to live on pain pills for the rest of my life. I want to find things that can give me a better quality of life with my husband and my kids. I want to go and enjoy the things I do."
She said that her friends and family have been helpful and supportive. Even her kids try to help her out, and her son will rub her feet. Stumborg said that she's thankful for every penny that she's gotten donated so far.
She's only been trying alternative therapy for a few weeks, and it's too early to tell whether or not it's working. She is going to get a blood test to tell her whether certain foods could be causing some of her problems.
Though the pain affects her every day, Stumborg tries to put a good face on in her daily life.
"We're trying to keep a positive outlook," she said. "Having a bad attitude about it isn't going to help me feel any better. We're just going to keep trying and keep trying."
To help out, Mira Campbell, a Tupperware consultant, is running a fundraiser until Sept. 26. If anyone orders tupperware online at whatsuptuppercup.my.tupperware.ca, 40 per cent of the proceeds go back to Stumborg.
