Family of cystic fibrosis patient Jennifer Crouse struggles to cover costs

As a Lunenburg County single mother's health deteriorates from cystic fibrosis, her family is racing to raise enough money to send the 31-year-old to Toronto to live while awaiting a double-lung transplant.

Jennifer Crouse of Pinehurst, N.S., was approved for the transplant on Dec. 18, but as the clock ticks her condition worsens, shortening the window of opportunity forthe operation once a pair of lungs is found.

Her health is declining faster thanmoneyis coming in, saysJennifer Crouse's mother, Vichi Crouse. Both need enough to cover moving, living and medical costsin time for her first appointment in Toronto on April 5.

"Anxious. Stress. You name it we're there," she said."We can't wait. I'm panicked that we're going to Toronto [without] the funds we thought we would have to make sure that we thought we could last out a year."

'We have to go'

The family is about $11,000 short of its $20,000 goal to cover the first year of costs.

"But with Jenn's health the way it is, we have to go," Vichi Crouse said.

The Nova Scotia government does provide a relief of $1,500 permonth for out-of-pocketexpenses.But Vichi Crouse says they're told it could takethree months from the day they move in for the relief to become available.

As of March1, the familyhas enough to pay for travel, initial medications costing $5,000, as well as first and last month's rent. Butthey don'thave enough to make it until the provincial subsidy begins.

"We're leaving it in the hands of everybody at home here and everyone else to continue fundraising while we're gone. For Jenn's health, we can't keep putting it off," Vichi Crouse said.

Online crowdfunding stalls

Fundraising events have become more frequent to supplement a stalled onlinecrowdfundingcampaign.

Rev. Svante Olson met the family at St. Andrew's LutheranChurch in West Northfield. Having a background in communications, Olson took on the role of raisingawareness in Halifax and the Lutheran community.

"We are very much impressed with the quiet courage and devotion that the family members have to each other. And very much impressed with this 31-year-old single mother," Olson said. "They're facing this situation with such grace."

Olson says community membersin and outside the church's congregationare rallying behind the family. A music benefit Sunday night hosted at NorthfieldDistrictFire Hall was a good show support, he says.

"It was standing room only at the end."

'Complete faith' in support at home

Vichi Crousesays the family choosesto focus onfundraising and moving forwardinstead of dwelling on whether Jennifer Crouse's health will hold.

"We don't have time to think about it. We have so much on the go, we have to get geared up," she said. "When we stop and think about going, we all cry.

"I have complete faith in everyone at home and everyone around that have been doing things for us."