I went to work one morning expecting a normal day… and ended up in a hospital bed with a broken back, broken leg, and broken wrist — and three children at home depending on me to survive.

I am a single mother to my three children. Their father passed away in March of 2020 and since then I have done everything I can to keep our little family stable and moving forward.

For the past 11 years, I have worked as a dental assistant and we have been able to get by and build a good life. 

On my way to work one morning, I fell down a flight of concrete stairs and suffered severe injuries — I broke my back, my left femur, and fractured my forearm, specifically the radius. I also sustained a serious concussion. I have been in the hospital for the past 2 weeks recovering from these injuries.

Because of this, I obviously have been unable to work and my doctor has said I have 6-8 months recovery ahead of me. I was able to apply for EI a week ago, but they said I will not receiving anything for approximately a month. I don’t have anything in the way of savings and even when I start receiving EI and combined with my child tax benefits, it does not come close to covering our monthly expenses — especially now with new medical costs and childcare needs.

I have been trying to calculate how we will manage everything, but I keep coming back to the same answer: I don’t know how we will get through this without help. I don’t have anyone in life that is in a position to help. My parents asked if I would consider a gofundme fundraiser. 

My biggest fear right now is losing our home after everything we’ve already endured as a family.

Any support from this fundraiser will go directly toward:

• Housing and essential bills
• Medical-related expenses and recovery costs
• Childcare so my children are cared for while I recover
• Basic daily needs for my family

I am doing everything I can to recover and get back on my feet, but this will take time. Right now, we just need help to stay stable during this unexpected and difficult period.

If you are able to donate, it would mean the world to us. If you cannot, even sharing this fundraiser helps more than you know.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for any kindness you can offer during this time. 

Shelby Brown