My beautiful sister - dog whisperer, nanny, incredible singer, lover of Audra McDonald, Chaka Khan, and Kelly Clarkson - is in desperate need of major dental repair. She's had more than her fair share of bad luck with her teeth and with poor dental work throughout her life, and it has come to a point where she needs a full mouth reconstruction. Medical insurance will not help, and dental insurance doesn't pay enough to make a dent, so she has given me permission to reach out and share her story. If you can contribute or share the link, that would be fantastic.

Our first goal is $11,000, which would give her permanent teeth in front (all she ever wants for Christmas), allowing her to not have to wear a temporary flipper, and making it easier for her to eat normally and with less pain.

Please read her story below.

When I was a small child I had six amalgam fillings put into my mouth. These contain mercury, which has been severely damaging to my health over the years.

At the age of 14, I was in an accident and broke several of my front teeth. Two of those teeth eventually required root canals, which eventually failed (twice). One of these teeth is now severely infected, causing the rest of my teeth to be constantly bombarded with bacteria.

I consistently brush, floss, and oil pull in an effort to keep my teeth healthy, but the damage is too far gone to heal with normal maintenance. The overall damage is so serious, that at this point I need to have 6 teeth extracted, 5 bone grafts, 5 implants, plus onlays, crowns, veneers... Essentially, I need a full-mouth reconstruction. Oy vey! The grand total for all the restorative work is approximately $45,000.

If you know anything about dental disease and decay and especially the dangers and health implications related to having mercury in your body, then you may understand why I have felt sick most of my life, especially in the last decade when age becomes a factor in one's ability to heal and recover. Dental health directly affects physical and mental health. For three decades I have been chronically fatigued, sleep-deprived (nocturia), anxious, and moderately to severely clinically depressed. All of these issues have made it incredibly difficult to pay for the overwhelming repairs that I have needed over time.

In my early 40's I nearly died as a result of all of these issues, but somehow I managed to hang on. For the past 17 years, it has been my mission to endure, be self-sufficient, work as hard as I can and follow the strict organic, sugar-free, chemical-free diets recommended to me by numerous doctors and dentists. Yes, I exercise, pray, and meditate too, but my body is giving out on me. I can and still very much want to work hard, and I do every day, putting in 40-50 hour work weeks to support myself. At this point, however, I need help.

It is my hope that as I clear my body of infections and heavy metal toxicity, I will feel well enough to venture out into a new career that will position me to pay off my medical bills and pay it forward to others in need.

My 2 year plan is to:

• Get well.
• Get wealthy.
• Get settled in a home so that I can foster and adopt.
• Pay it forward to others who are struggling.

My life-long dream has been to have a home, have a family, share my gifts and talents, and SMILE BIG AND WIDE!

Those of you who know me well, know that singing brings great joy to my heart.

I want to rediscover that voice and share that joy.

Stephanie

My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth's lamentation,
I hear the sweet, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation
Through all the tumult and the strife,
I hear that music ringing
It finds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?