Raising funds for Steinbach woman

A GoFundMe has been set up to support a Steinbach woman who found herself in a Winnipeg hospital fighting for her life.

The journey for Tasha Wiese began on March 10, when she became ill.

She was transferred from Bethesda Regional Health Centre by STARS to HSC Winnipeg.

Arriving in critical condition she was diagnosed with severe pneumonia, invasive Group A Strep and septic shock.

Because of damage to her limbs, she had both hands and legs above the knees amputated. Breathing assistance and dialysis were part of her early days.

But improvements have been noted.

On April 11, an update made by GoFundMe organizer Alaina Belliveau said Tasha was becoming more alert, was able to nod yes and no and smile at visitors.

Difficulty breathing is still a challenge, but Alaina reported that her kidneys have started to show some function.

“We pray that Tasha will continue to get stronger,” she said. “We know she has a long road ahead still, but we are thankful that each day shows some small positive changes.”

Alaina organized the GoFundMe, something she said came out of a conversation with her mother, who’s also the mother of Brendan, Tasha’s husband.

Initially it started so Brendan didn’t feel pressured to go back to work and could spend time at his wife’s bedside. But it was also something to focus on when everything else was so uncertain.

“We didn’t know when she would wake up and when she did what she would be like,” Alaina said.

A goal of $100,000 has been set, with over $67,000 raised by Tuesday morning.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “Every time I see a donation in there or somebody messages us with kind words, it brings tears to my eyes.”

While improvements are continuing, Alaina said they are not sure what the timeline looks like or what the future holds.

“Through this whole time (doctors) have been very careful not to promise too much or give timelines too much because it’s just so hard to tell,” she said.

Alaina said she wants to make sure people know how appreciative they are for all the help.

“I just want to say thank you,” she said. “But we do know that Tasha has a long road ahead and we want to get her equipment and stuff to try and get as much normalcy as possible. The more money we raise, the better we can do for her.”

Alaina describes Tasha as being the “kindest soul”.

“She’s probably the most genuinely kind person that I’ve ever met,” she said. “It’s been a huge difference not having that text from her in the morning or having her come visit or spend time with the kids. It’s left kind of a hole in our lives and it’s a struggle.”

To offer support search for Tasha Wiese at gofundme.com.