Help for Silka Strauch

Infected with Rat Lungworm Disease (Angiostrongulus Catonensis)

At last. The long wait ended. Silka landed in Dresden at noon on Monday, June 28th.

A huge relief for the Family who wants to thank all who helped in this rescue mission.
Without your help this would not have been possible.

Mahalo, Thank You!

Gisela Strauch

"As mother of Silka Strauch I am asking every compassionate, concerned individual for financial support to bring our seriously ill daughter back to Germany."

"It is essential for our daughter to be taken into a Rehab Center in Germany, where she has the chance to get healthy again."

News

June 30th 2009
We, Silka's brother Jens and Mario Strauch and our parents want to personally send heartfelt thanks to all helpers and donors. Without you, the many donors small and large, from Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Austria and the US we would never have been able to bring Silka home.

We would also like to thank the graciousness of the company FAI Rent-A-Jet, who brought Silka home to Dresden for a price well below market price and therefore much earlier than anticpated.

Gratitude and hugs to all the people known and unknown who have fevered with us for six long months and have fought to raise the 80,000 Euro it has taken to bring Silka back.

And many a tear stands next to Silka's fate for the compassion and participation of our friends and helpers. We remain hopeful that the rehabilitation and physiotherapy that she is now getting will influence her healing process in a positive way even though they came far too late.

Thank you everyone.

The Strauch Family

June 15th 2009
Donations are coming in from Europe and the US. We've set up a Facebook group and a Twitter account so you can stay up-to-date on what is happening. Please join and invite your friends.

June 8th 2009
The TV channel KGMB9 broadcasts an article about Silka.
• TV report at KGMB9

May 15th 2009
Today RTL Explosiv, a german TV channel, broadcasted a report about Silka and her parents on site. The reasons for the disease are shown as well as the tragic situation in the hospital.

The link shows the report.
• RTL Explosiv (german)

Vital Ambulance Service

We are asking for financial support to transfer Silka via air ambulance back to Dresden, Germany. Though she remains comatose, her condition is now considered sufficiently stable to transfer her from the Hilo Medical Center on the Big Island of Hawaii to the Rehab Clinic in Kreischa near Dresden. There, Dr. Gert Grellmann agreed to her admission and subsequent treatment. The cost for medical care would be covered by Silka's German health insurance and social security.

The cost of air ambulance service, however, is not covered. Very few insurance companies authorize such a benefit. Depending on the patient's medical condition, the costs vary between 80.000 and 150.000 EUR.

Unfortunately, the Strauch family simply cannot afford such an enormous amount of money. Their life savings have already been spent on the high costs of traveling to Hawaii to care for their daughter and towards paying the expensive foreign fees for Silka's medical care. Silka's own health insurance mandates that she reside in Germany to reap the benefits of that coverage.