Time to spread the message of projectdownload.

As I first read in a well-explained post by cleolinda, a woman named Erin who needs to raise money for brain surgeries (yes, surgeries, plural) is trying an unusual way to raise money. (Erin is in Oregon, and cleolinda heard of her and her situation from Alabama, and has been spreading the message to people all over the world. This internet thing can get word out to all sorts of people in all sorts of places...)

Erin is asking for people to download a single text document a day (a document that has no way of being infected by viruses or malware). She explains:

This is the letter that will be downloaded via MegaUpload. The file is text, under 3KB in size and guaranteed virus/spyware/malware free.

Hi, my name is Erin and I'm a 29 year old single female living in the United States of America.

First and foremost, I'd like to thank you for downloading this document. I'm trying to get enough downloads to qualify for a monetary payout of MegaUploads Rewards program. Let me explain why.

I suffer from two neurological disorders (Chiari malformation and cranial lesions) that will require a combined total of 2-4 brain surgeries. I'm unemployed and uninsured and the state I live in is so broke, they have strictly limited who qualifies for Medicaid. Because I have no children and am not pregnant, I don't qualify.

I have been working with several hospitals and organizations in my area to get the care and treatment that I need, but have only made so much progress. Bottom line: In the USA, if you don't have insurance, the healthcare system doesn't exist for you. I have had a surgical consultation and it has been recommended I have the first brain surgery as soon as I possibly can. The only catch is that there will be a deposit required ranging anywhere from $1500-$5000 dollars. I have not worked for almost a year and therefore do not have this kind of money.

Living with a Chiari malformation is painful and exhausting. Living with cranial lesions in addition to the Chiari? Is beyond any kind of description.

I've thought about the different ways I can try to raise this money. I don't like asking for handouts or charity of any kind, so I have hesitated in giving my PayPal information as a solicitation for donations.

Then, I came across the MegaUpload reward program and used part of what little money I do have to set up a paid account for two months for $11.99. This program states if I get 5 million downloads, they will pay me $10,000. There a few stipulations: only one download per IP address per day, only downloads made from qualifying countries, no attempted manipulation or fraud to earn more points.

I don't know if this is too good to be true, but I figure it's worth a shot. If I can somehow reach enough people who would be willing to take time out of their day, hopefully more than just one day, to download this virus free text document, I may be able to get the surgery I need to continue living.

Again, I thank you for downloading this file and if you choose to do so, for sending the link to people you know asking them to download.

Each day for about two weeks I've been going to this page that Cleo's been linking to (10/28 edit: For some reason, that linked to the wrong thing; go to cleolinda's post and you'll get a link that WILL work; END EDIT) and downloading a new copy of the above letter. It's quick, it's painless, and it might help someone, if enough people download in time. (projectdownload was created to give people updates and reminders.)

Again, read the cleolinda link I linked to at the top if you want more information (as well as reassurance that this effort is on the level).