Benefit is set for Naples woman

NAPLES — Hope is on the horizon for a Naples woman with an extremely rare and debilitating spinal condition, but she and her husband cannot make it without some community help.

Stephanie Moss is a former social services professional and volunteer. Her husband has worked for a Sandpoint HVAC company for the past decade. Their son is in the military, currently stationed in Tacoma, Wash., according to the couple's Go Fund Me page.

Because her condition is so rare — only a few more than 100 people have been diagnosed with the disease, according to the American Journal of Neuroradiology — it took more than three years of tests, emergency room visits and a pile of medical bills to finally get an accurate diagnosis, they said.

Moss now knows that much of her physical suffering is due to a spinal condition known as Idiopathic Spinal Cord Herniation, which gets progressively worse and can possibly lead to severe paralysis, according to the National Institutes for Health. A secondary disease, dystonia, further complicates her daily life.

Also due to the rarity of her disability, Moss and her husband must travel cross-country to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. where qualified surgeons can perform surgery. And because the surgery is high-risk, Moss's insurance company will not cover the entire cost.

Enter Northwoods Tavern in Naples, a community hub that is hosting a fundraiser for Moss this Saturday, April 16. A combination barbecue, potluck, auction and live music event, community members, friends, family and strangers are welcome to attend and contribute their support, according to event organizers.

Northwoods is located near the Naples Store, about 20 minutes north of Sandpoint, off Highway 95. Live bands for the all-day benefit  include Vultra, Symptoms of Insanity and Cobra Jet. They will start playing around 5 p.m., organizers said.

Moose Valley Farms, Idaho Granite Works, Naples General Store, Picturesque and Elegant Exposures Photography are among the local businesses that have contributed auction items. The auction begins at 3 p.m., organizers said.

Afterward, Northwoods hosts will be grilling wild game and meat. They encourage attendees to bring potluck dishes to share.

The charge for the benefit is $5 per person at the door, according event information. 

"This will be history making. Come experience great hospitality in a rustic mountain setting ... and help the Moss family," event organizers said.