An Urgent Call for Help

I'm sitting here about 5,000 miles away, deeply worried about someone I've never met.

I never heard much about her until a few days ago, when a request rang out on a rather closeknit writers' forums I'm active on.

One of our own is in trouble, the post read. She is desperately ill with ALS, has a very young son and is days away from losing her house to foreclosure.

Lore Hall Steele is a fabulous writer. To know what I'm talking about, read this
Washington Post essay she wrote.
Ironically, this article was written long before she knew she was ill, but was only published for the first time this summer.

There is a blogathon set up to help Lori, and provides the following summary of her condition:

Lori, a gifted freelance writer ... mysteriously lost the ability to move her feet in September 2007. The paralysis later spread to her legs and arms. She eventually moved to a wheelchair and had only limited use of her hands for typing. Her inability to use her hands meant she was no longer able to continue her work as a freelance writer, which had been her sole means of supporting her and her seven-year old son, Jackson. Her mom, Shannon, moved up from Florida in February to care for both of them. Lori is now confined to a hospital bed and is dependent upon a Bi-Pap breathing machine. Doctors confirmed a diagnosis of Lyme Disease in April, but have since named ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) as a prime suspect.


A summary of Lori's work:

Based in Michigan, she has published more than 3,000 articles for local, regional and national publications. She copy-editedMichael Moore’s book (Michigan's most controversial son) "Dude, Where’s My Country?" and helped launch his Traverse City Film Festival.

Another equally helpful site, Save Lori's House. also provides more information on Lori, her work, her young son and her situation. She needs you. Five or ten dollars can make a difference.