Woman Diagnosed with ALS Raising Money for Trip with Family

MERRIMACK, NH — A local woman is raising money to take a trip with her son and daughter next month. Donna Greenleaf Grzywacz of Merrimack was diagnosed recently with ALS, a terminal disease, after dealing with health issues the past few years. She had been trying to save money for a family trip in February but after being diagnosed, she has decided to go on the trip sooner.

"When I was first diagnosed, I was thinking of a February family vacation using my tax return, but I have started having weakness in my legs and hands recently and I'm not sure I can wait," she wrote on the GoFundMe.com effort. "I have trouble speaking, swallowing and get fatigued easily but am grateful everyday for being as functional as I am. I feel awkward setting up a fundraiser but unfortunately I do not have the luxury of time. It sounds dramatic, but it is true."

Grzywacz set up the site and posted a fundraising goal of $5,000 on Oct. 14, 2016. As of 4:30 p.m., she had raised nearly $2,000.

"When I shared my diagnosis with my son, Hayden (aka Tim), invited Amira, my daughter, and me to go to Japan with him Nov. 6. He already has his airline tickets and reservations paid for so it would just be paying for Amira and me."

Grzywacz noted that she had no travel restrictions due to her health and caregivers were encouraging her to do what she wanted to do now, and worry about the declining health later.

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Editor's Note: Donna has been a friend of mine for more than 30 years and her son Hayden is also my God son. Regular Patch readers know that we post GoFundMe.com requests when asked or when we see them, whether we know the people or not.