Empowering Patients' Lives: Introducing The Sherri Little Foundation

*Trigger Warning: This episode contains content about suicide*

"Getting well can be expensive. Too often, the things that help us most are the things insurance won't cover." – Tami Stackelhouse

For too many of us living with fibromyalgia, our quality of life and access to care depend on what we can afford, not what we actually need. Coaching, acupuncture, mobility aids, functional testing, and even travelling to see the right doctor often aren't covered by insurance. That gap leaves countless people stuck, unable to move forward on their healing journey simply because of finances.

This is why The Sherri Little Foundation was created. Founded in honor of one of Tami's clients who recognized how financial privilege shaped her fibromyalgia care, the foundation provides micro-grants to help people with chronic pain get the support they need but can't otherwise afford. From mobility scooters to travel expenses, accessibility modifications, or certain therapies, these grants are designed to remove barriers and give you the chance to reclaim your life.

In this episode, Tami discusses how financial barriers impact chronic pain patients, why The Sherri Little Foundation was created, Tami's experience with out-of-pocket medical costs, Sherri Little's story, the mission of the foundation to support those with limited resources, Tami's personal connection to its work, the story of Lily, a 14-year-old grant recipient from 2024, examples of how grants have helped fill systemic gaps in accessibility and care, eligible uses for these grants, details of the 2025 grant cycle, including exactly how you can apply, financial and age requirements for applicants, the application process, tips for preparing application materials in advance, how the grant selection committee prioritizes applications, how you can get involved and support the mission, Tami's hopes for the future of the foundation, and more.

This year, the application window will open at midnight on September 1, 2025. The window will close on September 7, 2025, or when 50 applications have been submitted, whichever comes sooner. Tami expects the foundation to reach its application limit on the day of opening or the following day, so don't delay!

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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