Help Me Fight Multiple Sclerosis and Rebuild My Life
Hello everyone,
My name is Nicole Lawson, and if you know me, you know my heart has always been dedicated to helping others. I am a Certified Mental Health Coach, Certified Mental Health Advocate, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, and the Founder and Executive Director of the Wake Up Sis Tour Organization. For years, I have poured into women, families, and my community, encouraging others to choose healing, find hope, and never give up even during life’s hardest moments.
Today, I find myself needing that same love and support.
I was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease that affects the brain and spinal cord by damaging the protective covering around the nerves. This interrupts communication between the brain and body, causing symptoms that can include muscle weakness, difficulty walking, balance problems, overwhelming fatigue, nerve pain, memory and cognitive challenges, and many other unpredictable symptoms.
I am currently receiving intensive inpatient rehabilitation, where I participate in daily physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), and speech-language pathology (SLP). Every day is filled with hard work as I fight to regain my strength, improve my balance, strengthen my memory, and work toward becoming independent again.
Although I am making progress, my journey is far from over. Once I am discharged from rehabilitation, I will still require ongoing outpatient therapy several times each week. Because of this, I will not be able to return to work right away. My recovery will take time, patience, and continued medical care.
As a single mother, one of the hardest parts of this journey has been worrying about my children. I have an amazing 15-year-old son who still depends on me, and a 22-year-old son who has been doing everything he can to help carry responsibilities while I focus on healing. He also lives with schizophrenia, and while he has shown incredible strength, I don’t want the financial burden and stress of trying to manage everything alone to become overwhelming for him. As a mother, protecting my children has always been my priority, and right now I simply want them to be able to focus on living their lives without carrying the weight of responsibilities that should be mine.
With no immediate ability to return to work, I am facing mounting financial challenges while my monthly obligations continue. Bills don’t stop because of illness, and neither do the costs of everyday life.
Your donations will help me:
Cover rent, utilities, groceries, insurance, and other essential household expenses.
Help provide stability for my family while I focus on healing.
Pay for transportation and expenses related to my continued outpatient rehabilitation after discharge.
Ease the financial pressure on my family so my children don’t have to carry burdens they shouldn’t have to bear.
Allow me to focus on recovery so I can return to serving my community as soon as I’m medically able.
As someone who has spent years advocating for mental health, I know how difficult it can be to ask for help. I’ve always believed in being the one to encourage others, but today I must be vulnerable enough to receive the support I have so freely given.
I truly believe God has a purpose for this chapter of my life. MS may have changed my journey, but it has not changed my faith, my determination, or my calling. I am committed to fighting every single day so I can regain my independence, return to my work, continue serving others, and be the mother my children deserve.
If you are unable to donate, I completely understand. I ask that you please keep me in your prayers and share my GoFundMe with your family, friends, church, coworkers, and social media. Every prayer, every share, every encouraging word, and every donation no matter the size,brings me one step closer to recovery.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in me, standing with my family, and helping me through one of the most difficult seasons of my life.
With love, gratitude, and faith,
Nicole Lawson
