A young New Zealander is facing enormous medical debt after requiring emergency treatment in the United States for life-threatening illness.
Amanda Sesio felt ‘like a joyful teenager’ when she traveled to Los Angeles for a family wedding in late June, but on July 1 she was diagnosed with pneumococcal pneumonia.
The near-fatal illness would cause her to accrue a staggering $207,000 in medical debt.
Ms. Sesio’s brother, Shane Tuala, created a Go Fund Me page on August 8 to assist the young lady with a “golden heart” in paying her mounting debts.
Mr. Tuala said, “It was difficult for us to watch Amanda alone in these conditions.”
We would be eternally grateful for any contribution, regardless of its small, that will assist us in addressing Amanda’s medical expenses.
The fundraising campaign has now garnered over $20,000 from 316 contributors, including two anonymous donors who each contributed $1,000.
Ms. Sesio is only beginning to recover physically from the terrible experience.
It was undoubtedly the greatest struggle of my life, and while the rollercoaster has calmed, there are still a few bumps ahead.
She said that the medical personnel helped her much while she battled a fatal illness alone.
I hope that my contributions to the hospital may help honor, appreciate, and compensate the many extraordinary experts, physicians, and nurses who saved my life and my mental health, as they were my temporary small family in a strange and at times lonely area.
Medical treatment in the United States is notoriously costly, with visitors and citizens facing thousands of dollars in debt for routine operations.
In order to prevent amassing substantial debt in the event of a medical emergency, tourists traveling to the United States are recommended to get medical insurance.