After receiving a rare diagnosis, local fire departments are stepping up to support one of their own.
Halle Schafer works full time as an EMT in Kanawha County. Near the end of a shift in late January, she realized something wasn’t right.
“I was taking a shower and I felt like tingling and numbness in my feet and then it progressed to my hands,” Schafer said. “I went a couple days because I worked that weekend so it progressed and got worse.”
Following several appointments and hospital visits, Schafer — who also serves as a firefighter with the Pinch Volunteer Fire Department — was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.
“They did a couple more rounds with the IVIG treatment and it was really hard because I couldn’t walk anymore,” Schafer said. “When I went back in, I couldn’t use my hands, couldn’t feed myself, couldn’t do anything. It was really hard on me mentally.”
After undergoing rehabilitation for her symptoms, Schafer can now walk on her own again.
Once she received her diagnosis, her department quickly came together to help offset her medical and recovery expenses by organizing a T-shirt fundraiser.
“It’s scary,” Pinch VFD auxiliary member Katie Anderson said. “I’m a registered nurse. I’ve worked in critical care for many years. I’ve seen Guillain-Barre patients not do well. One of our members approached our deputy chief Charlie Cunningham and said, ‘Let’s try to do a t-shirt fundraiser for Halle.'”
Support for the fundraiser has poured in from as far away as Florida and as close as the Loudendale Volunteer Fire Department, which purchased shirts for all of its volunteers.
“In this instance, we’ve got a young lady who can’t do her job,” Loudendale VFD Chief William Eads said. “She’s sick. She’s got an illness that’s preventing her from being active in what we do. But that doesn’t mean we turn her back on her. She’s still one of ours.”
Schafer said her faith and her community have been two of the greatest sources of strength during this difficult time.
“I’m very grateful for everybody who has prayed and came and saw me in the hospital, brought gifts, the messages,” Schafer said. “I’m very grateful for everything. I never expected it to go this big.”