The Longest Journey lead actress needs money for medical expenses
After a decade with multiple sclerosis and salivary gland cancer.
The Longest Journey and Dreamfall lead actress Sarah Hamilton (the voice of April Ryan) is in dire straits after suffering from multiple sclerosis and stage 2 parotid (salivary) gland cancer for over a decade.
Diagnosed with the former in 2002 and the latter only 18 months later, Hamilton's medical misfortune just kept getting worse. Her back was operated on in 2010 due to a completely extruded disc, while 2013 saw her slip on some ice resulting in necessary hand surgery to fix a ruptured tendon.
In addition to all of this, plus a host of migraines (an estimated 10 a month, down from 25), Hamilton's situation went from bad to worse last month when she needed a fusion of her spine, leaving her bound to the hospital for four days. That sort of thing isn't cheap in America. Worse, the stress made the multiple sclerosis relapse, causing vertigo - a hazard given Hamilton's already fragile spine.
"'What's my opportunity here?' is a question I never cease asking myself," Hamilton said on her GoFundMe page. "I am a woman who doesn't allow life's challenges to get in the way of my growth. In fact, I believe challenges are to be overcome in order to transform our lives and allow us all to find the joy that is our birthright." As such, she continued working during this time, though she told Polygon last year that she once needed a brief six-month hiatus when her salivary gland cancer affected her throat too much to act.
"So what is my opportunity here? It's to acknowledge that I need help. Help with my bills," she admitted. "Once I am given the go ahead to go back to work it will be part-time, and in conjunction with all my regular bills I won't be able to pay my previous doctors bills let alone my new ones."
"I need help," Hamilton added. "And if you are able to do so I would be so grateful to all of you for the rest of my healthy life. So.... Thank You, Thank You from the bottom of my heart. I am honoured and humbled by your support.
Hamilton's currently looking to raise $24K for her medical bills. As of writing this, she's acquired $14,877.