Hello everyone,

My name is Diana Pana, I am 32 years old and I am from Bucharest.

I am writing this message with a heavy heart and in the hope that I will find kind-hearted people who can support me at an extremely difficult time in my life.

I have been taken to court by the tenants’ association because of unpaid maintenance fees. Last year, I managed to pay off the total amount through a bank loan, just before the first court hearing, but the case continued. My mum attended the hearing, but there were also sessions which I consider to be, shall we say, confidential, which she did not attend; I saw this afterwards on the court’s website, which leads me to believe that everything was stacked against us. Unfortunately, the difficult financial situation I find myself in has not allowed me to keep up with these costs; I am already a month behind on maintenance payments, which is a torment for me given that I have struggled enormously to get out of this situation.

It all started after I was forced to leave my previous job for health reasons; I have a slipped disc and simply cannot do any physical work. I had no other option, and since then my income has been almost non-existent, until now when I have managed to find a job that does not require physical effort.

My mum has a disability and, unfortunately, she doesn’t receive any financial support. She tried, she kept asking at the council if she could be granted a disability pension, but they said they didn’t consider her condition to be a disability (she has partial paralysis on her right side and can barely use her hand), so the entire responsibility for her care, the bank repayments and the other household expenses falls solely on my shoulders, even though I am just a child.

On top of all this, I also have a few pets that I look after every day. I cannot give them up; they are innocent creatures who depend on me, and their love is one of the few things keeping me afloat. I do everything I can to provide them with food, warmth and safety, but it is getting harder and harder.

I’ve tried to manage on my own, but now I’ve reached a dead end. Legal costs, outstanding maintenance payments, my mortgage and current debts are overwhelming me (I can provide proof with documents, a disability certificate and medical records).

I am making this heartfelt appeal to you, those who understand what it means to go through difficult times, to feel that there is no way out, but not to want to give up.

Any help, no matter how small, makes a huge difference. I just want to be able to move forward, find some balance and get out of this situation.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for any support you can offer – whether financial, by sharing the campaign, or just a kind word!