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FROM THE FRIENDS OF RENEE AVIS ​
                                   From the Friends of Renee

The Friends of Renee are no longer raising money, as Renee's condition has improved.  However, we hope the resources and tips in the EDUCATION AND NEWS section continue to serve the community for properly preventing, testing for, and treating Lyme and other tick-transmitted diseases.  


This group of us we called "The Committee" raised funds with the help of the community and friends from both fundraiser events and donations.  Lyme took a tremendous toll on Renee physically, emotionally, and financially.  Even since being tested clear of Lyme, Renee continues to treat co-diseases and other medical conditions that developed as side-effects of her 5 years of Lyme treatment.  Renee has touched so many lives, giving her love and friendship to us all.  We felt compelled to help such a great person pull thru this crisis.

Renee was paying $430 a month for an individual PPO health care plan with Anthem Blue Cross.  However, her treatments were constantly being denied - IV treatments, IV supplies, and even some of her doctors.  Her best friend, who works in the health care industry, spent countless hours trying to get reimbursements.  Renee eventually qualified for Medicare, the benefit from which vastly reduced costs from potential emergency room visits and other unexpected hospitalizations resulting from Lyme disease, such as problems with her PICC Line.  However, Renee and husband Ugo were still paying between $2,500 and $3,000 out of pocket per month for IV and other medications.  Her medical illness depleted their savings and they went further into debt while ensuring they didn't disrupt the treatments, which brought significant improvements in her health starting late 2013, with Lyme being undetectable in her system as of early 2015.  

Our primary goal was to raise cash to help Renee and Ugo meet their financial burden by collecting direct donations and organizing fundraiser events.  The money raised went solely towards her specialists, home nurses, IV antibiotics and IV supplies.   
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An additional goal for the Friends of Renee is to raise awareness of Lyme disease, which is the fastest growing infectious disease in the United States!  Do yourself a favor: read the summary and links in the "Education and News" section of this website to learn more about how you, your friends, and loved ones can avoid getting Lyme disease, or at least how to detect it early enough to save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills and years of pain and suffering!!  

Sincerely,
The Friends of Renee Fundraising Committee
(Eric Foster, Denean Koren, Erick Schultz, Andrea Giancoli, Claudia Berman, and Nona Janssen)
friendsofreneeavis@yahoo.com

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To make an online cash donation directly to the Renee Avis Treatment Fund, please use PayPal. Sign-in at www.paypal.com, point your cursor on “Transfer” near the top, click on “Send Someone Money”, and send your donation using the email address FriendsOfReneeAvis@yahoo.com.  PayPal won’t charge any fees unless you want to use your credit card. Your support is making a difference!