Levonne Hart’s MSA battle

$41,364 of $156,206 goal

Given by 141 generous donors in around 12 months

Mother, wife, loyal friend & colleague is battling a neurodegenerative disorder Multiple System Atrophy which affects the nervous system.

Auckland

Our dear friend and colleague. Levonne, has been diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disorder called Multiple System Atrophy or MSA, which affects the nervous system.

Mother to seven year-old Zane and wife of Andrew for nearly 15 years, Levonne is beginning to find the simplest tasks like school pick-ups and walking the dog are getting more and more difficult. She has begun experiencing problems with her balance, speech and coordination. Because of this, Levonne has made the tough decision to take extended sick leave from her employer HP, where she has worked for the last 18 years.

Whilst Levonne has a strong support system with her husband and son, as well as her two sisters and dad, the expense and effort of her rehabilitation care is a constant worry for her. In addition, the possibility of no longer working has her concerned over the family’s financial future.

That’s why we have developed this page to support Levonne and her family. We are hoping to raise enough money to pay off her mortgage so that she can concentrate on the therapies and treatments needed to get her better. This will also provide peace of mind for the family’s future and ensure that no matter what happens, Zane will be able to grow up in his family home.

Levonne has supported so many of us throughout our lives, which is why we want to offer her and her family our support. We hope you can help support Levonne as well.

Emma Payne's involvement (page creator)

A group of us at HP New Zealand got together to support Levonne who is not only a colleague, but a dear friend. We want to do something to help her and her family during this difficult time. We have her agreement/approval to set-up this page on her behalf.

Use of funds

We are hoping to raise enough money to pay off her mortgage so that she can concentrate on the therapies and treatments needed to get her better. This will also provide peace of mind for the family’s future.

*update from Levonne* 21 July 2020

It’s a bit hard to give an update with all that’s been going on and having had a bit of a decline, I suppose. My walking gait has changed a bit and perhaps not always noticeable from the outside, it is to me, my family and the trained eye.

Your donations and words of encouragement have certainly helped. It has freed up cash to buy supplements, exercise equipment and buy the odd program or summit – there are plenty of those, and continue to see health professionals, like the chiropractor and physio for instance. It has been an enormous help – and continues to be - and I’m hugely grateful.

We are learning a lot about can and won’t be done in terms of our house and why caregivers often speak out in this country. At some stage we might have to buy a new flat level home and manage my son’s schooling and keep him in the city in which we choose to live. I’ve had loads of family time, with a reunion up north at Christmas and a few nights in Taupo these school holidays with my immediate family.

Unfortunately, we haven’t had a great success with our dogs having lost one due to ill health back in October and having to rehome her replacement because he was a bit naughty and I couldn’t retrieve our belongings quickly enough from under the dining room table! Fortunately, my son and husband got to spend some time with him this weekend where he’s undergoing deer hunting training in the bush.

I’ve been thinking about HP lately and I know you’ve gone through a lot of changes lately. I’ve been thinking about the ‘can do’ attitude and when I feel low about the positivity you exude and I think ‘yeah, I’ll have some of that!’ I’m eternally grateful to Emma Payne, Oliver Hill, my manager, Anna Xu, and you all.

Love

Levonne

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