As some of you may know, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2007. Though I rarely publicly discuss this disease, I want to share an update on the progression of my condition and the recent clinical prognosis I’ve been given from my medical team. I’ve recently learned of a new therapy that my help me. However, I will need your help to access the therapy.

MS is an autoimmune disease that attacks and destroys the protective coating around the nerves in one’s brain and spinal cord, resulting in severe deterioration of large and fine motor skills causing varying degrees of paralysis. Simple movements become mountainous tasks such as standing up and walking across the room, the inability to grasp a coffee cup, turn a knob on the stove, and becoming more severe creating an inability to swallow, breath, sit up independently (the list goes on) until eventually death due to inability of the body’s immune system to combat typical illnesses, colds, etc.

Those who knew me prior to my diagnosis, recall I enjoyed a very active life, horseback riding, snowmobiling, canoeing, camping, boating, swimming, and traveling. Since 2007, I have worked with many neurological specialists and top MS clinics to explore every possible medication/treatment to slow the course of the disease, with very little success. I am currently in a very progressive stage of the disease and have been told by my medical team there is no longer any treatment available that will help and nothing can slow the rate of the disease. I no longer drive due to the loss of control of both fine and large motor skills. I am able to use a walker for distances less than 10 feet but am confined to an electric wheelchair beyond that.