A Community of Love & Support

Team
Calista

Helping a wife, mother, artist, and fighter fund her journey to healing — one treatment at a time.

🎽 Shirts Sold Out — Donate via GoFundMe 💛 Donate
Read her story
Her Story

Meet Calista

Calista Ambrosia is a devoted mother to Griff and Aria, a loving wife to Mike, a gifted artist, and one of the most resilient people you'll ever meet. After months of worsening symptoms — breathing difficulties, trouble swallowing, and being unable to sit upright for more than a few minutes at a time — she finally has answers, a diagnosis, and a path forward.

🩺 The Diagnosis

Calista has been diagnosed with Craniocervical Instability (CCI) and cervical instability at C2–C3 and C3–C4. The ligaments holding her head to her neck have been overstretched, causing her neck to lose its natural curve and placing direct pressure on her spinal cord.

💪 The Treatment

Great news: Calista is a strong candidate for Prolotherapy — a non-surgical treatment that triggers a natural healing cascade to thicken and tighten her loose ligaments. She'll need 9–12 sessions and the prognosis is getting back to 100%.

🛣️ The Journey

Treatments happen in Fort Myers, Florida, every 2–3 weeks through summer. The family will be traveling from North Carolina, meaning real costs for gas, lodging, and meals — every single trip. That's where you come in.

🎨 Who She Is

Between doctors and appointments, Calista is a talented artist who loves to paint. Her world is bursting with color — especially her favorite pink-orange hues. Most importantly, she's a mama who can't wait to spend more time with Griff and Aria again.

9–12
Treatments Needed
~1 yr
Healing Timeline
100%
Goal: Full Recovery
NC → FL
Every 2–3 Weeks
Understanding the Diagnosis

What Calista is facing

For those who want a deeper look at what's happening — here's what the doctors found and why treatment is so urgent.

🦴

Craniocervical Instability

The ligaments connecting her skull to her spine are overstretched, causing her neck bones to slide out of place. Her neck has also lost its natural curve, pressing directly on her spinal cord.

🩸

Jugular Vein Collapse

When upright, Calista's jugular vein collapses to roughly 20% of its normal size — just 4.7 mm² when it should be over 20 mm². Her brain can only drain properly when she's lying flat, causing elevated intracranial pressure.

👁️

Optic Nerve Swelling

The fluid backup from impaired drainage is causing her optic nerves to swell. Her vertebral artery is working overtime to compensate for the drainage blockage.

🫁

Vagus Nerve Deterioration

Her vagus nerves have deteriorated to 0.7 mm and 1.1 mm — they should be 2–3 mm. This explains the breathing difficulties and trouble swallowing she experiences daily.

🌅

The Outlook is Bright

Prolotherapy avoids the need for spinal fusion surgery. With 9–12 sessions and a year of healing, the goal is a full recovery. Calista is up for the challenge, and we want to make sure she knows she has a community with her on this journey.

📅 Mark Your Calendar

Shirt Pick-Up & Group Photo

Gypsy Road · Kernersville, NC · May 29th · 5–7 PM
Join us for a group photo at 6 PM — a memory we'll send with Calista & Mike to Florida for the summer. 🤍
Can't make it? No worries — we'll arrange another time to get your shirt to you!

Support & Style

Wear your support

🎽 Shirts Are Sold Out!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who ordered a Team Calista tee — your love and support means the world to Calista and her family. The shirts are officially sold out!
If you'd still like to support Mike and Calista, the GoFundMe is still open. 🤍

Team Calista shirts were a beautiful way to show up for someone you love — and you delivered!

Team Calista Tee

Team Calista Tee

$25

Unisex soft cotton tee with the iconic We Are Team Calista design

Available Sizes

Adult: XS · S · M · L · XL · 2XL

Youth: YM · YL

Where the money goes

  • Prolotherapy treatments & medical expenses not covered by insurance
  • Gas for each NC → Fort Myers trip
  • Lodging during treatment stays
  • Meals for Calista & Mike during Florida visits

How to order

Fill out the form below and send payment to Venmo @Colleen_Foster328 (4-digit code: 2921). Shirts will be available for pick-up at Gypsy Road in Kernersville on May 29th from 5–7 PM — we'll do a group photo at 6 PM to send with Calista to Florida!

🛒 Shirt Orders

🎽 Orders Are Closed

Shirts are sold out — thank you so much to everyone who ordered! Want to keep supporting Calista? Head to the GoFundMe. 🤍

SizeQty
💳 Payment: Send payment via Venmo @Colleen_Foster328 (4-digit code: 2921) after submitting. Shirts are $25 each + $5 shipping if mailing. All proceeds go directly to Team Calista's healing fund.

📦 Timeline: Orders delivered by May 29th — we'll take a group photo and send the initial funds with Calista & Mike to Florida. Can't make May 29th at Gypsy Road (5–7 PM)? We'll make other arrangements to get your shirt to you!
✅ Your email app is opening! Please send the pre-filled email to complete your order. Don't forget to send payment to Venmo @Colleen_Foster328 (4-digit code: 2921) — and thank you for supporting Calista! 🤍
About Calista

A painter, a mama, a fighter

Before illness took over her daily life, Calista filled her world with color. She's a talented painter with a love for warm, vivid hues — especially her signature pink-orange. She is mom to Griff and Aria, and wife to the ever-devoted Mike, who has been her "pit crew" every step of the way (literally setting up a mattress in the van so she could travel safely to MRI appointments).

When she's not painting or planning the most magical parties for her family, Calista works at John Deere — though her injury has kept her away from the job she loves for the past several months. Through all of this, she has faced fear with faith — reminding herself to "do the next right thing" and trusting that even these quiet, hard days are not wasted. She is ready to heal. She is ready to paint again. She is ready to come home to her kids.

🎨 Artist 👩‍👧‍👦 Mama to Griff & Aria 💛 Faith 🌸 Pink-Orange Forever 🚜 John Deere 🎉 Party Planner 💪 Fighter
"Even these quiet times
are not wasted."