Multiple Life-Changing Dental Procedures Required
— MaryAnn Massey
PUEBLO WEST, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, December 18, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — For those of us with a mouth full of healthy teeth, we take the deliciousness of a steak dinner or being able to eat anything we want for granted. But for MaryAnn Massey, a Colorado native who has lived and worked in Pueblo West for nearly 20 years, a typical meal consists of noodles and sauce.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but I’ve been struggling with severe dental issues for the last 15 years,” shared Massey. “Back when I was younger and working in a restaurant as a table busser, I contracted a disease that resulted in bleeding gums, progressive tooth decay, and tooth loss.”
“I found a dentist to help me, but he retired, and I then lost my dental insurance. Things started to go downhill with my teeth,” she continued. “Fast forward to the present – I now have no bottom teeth and only five teeth on top that are viable.”
Massey’s job as a convenience store manager at the North Shore Marina, Pueblo West, CO., where she’s been working since 2005, covers her daily needs, but the multiple life-changing dental procedures she now needs will cost at least $18,000.
“It’s really overwhelming for me to even think about all the crowns and root canals and implants and dentures that are required to have ‘normal’ teeth again,” said Massey during a recent interview. “I used to be friendly and outgoing with a pleasant personality, but for over a decade now, I rarely smile or talk too much because people ask me what’s wrong with my teeth.”
Thanks to support from her current dentist, employers at the North Shore Marina, Ericka Mitzner and Dan Allen, and friends Mike and Suzanne Perini, Massey was convinced to try again to get control of her dental health.
In addition to being an avid boater and long-time member of the marina, Mike Perini runs a full-service public relations and marketing firm, Perini & Associates. His team put together Massey’s GoFundMe page nearly a month ago. “The page has had great success so far, raising more than $10,200 toward the $18,000 goal with just over 50 donations. We are so honored to be able to assist Maryann in her journey to better health.”
Because Massey’s dental issues have been going on for so long, they are now affecting other aspects of her health, contributing to both congestive heart failure and breathing issues. She’s been on oxygen for the last 3 years and what little money she has managed to save has gone to pay for medical procedures to keep simply keep her alive.
Massey shared that “as embarrassed as I am to have to ask help, my whole-body health is now at risk, and I’ve got to try and do something to get healthy. My Mom and Dad have been out of the picture since I was young. My husband is gone (he passed away in 1982), and the family I do have in Colorado are dealing with their own life issues,” Massey continued.
“Although I have a decent-paying job, I’m not in a situation where I can pay for the dental bills myself, and my insurance will only cover a pitiful amount of what I owe.”
The O’Neil Group, the commercial vendor for the North Shore Marina, is proud to contribute to Massey’s fundraiser by covering all of the GoFundMe donation transaction fees. “It is our pleasure to assist in this important fundraiser that will make a life-saving difference in Mrs. Massey’s future,” said Kellie O’Neil, The O’Neil Group and Pueblo Reservoir Unified Marina, LLC.
GoFundMe donations can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/6jytr-emergency-dental-care-needed
Michael Perini
Perini & Associates
+1 719-651-5943
email us here
Originally published at https://www.einpresswire.com/article/674680145/public-relations-firm-launches-gofundme-page-to-support-colorado-native