Courtney's Journey Back to the Prairie

Many of you have been supporting our Executive Director, Courtney, as she's gone through some tough medical issues this year. She wanted to share her gratitude here, where everyone who's lifted her up may have a chance to read it. Thank you sincerely to each of you who shared funds for her surgery, food to keep Courtney & Ryan strong, and an open ear when things were hardest. Community power makes our work and our team resilient. We're grateful for you all!

October 27, 2025

Hello friends -

I am just over a month out from surgery and back at work as often as my body allows. I'm so grateful to be able to walk a bit longer on the land, work with the community, and plan for our prescribed burning season. At my post-op appointment last week, my surgeon referred me to additional medical teams to continue working towards a pain-free, healthy body. The surgery wasn't the solution we'd all hoped for. But I am not giving up the fight! I can't believe it's been almost a year since I could walk a mile, after so many years of bouncing all over the prairie for hours.

I'm truly grateful for the physicians who are committed to caring for me, even without insurance. To all of you who gave me the strength to start this intimidating journey, please know how humbled I am by your support. Thank you so much for giving me (and Ryan) hope for recovery. It means the world to us both. We're still here working to protect and preserve land for everyone in our community. We are so much stronger with you behind us!

We'll be shutting the GoFundMe for my medical care down soon, as it's been a weight on my heart to keep my hand outstretched. Thanks sincerely to our friend Beverly for helping us set this up and making it successful - I wasn't easy to work with :)

If you'd like to stay in touch with me & Ryan, please reach out! You can reach me through the Native Lands Restoration Collaborative website and Instagram pages anytime. Thank you so much ~

Have an amazing fall, everyone!

With love, Courtney