Mark Needs Your Help!

Mark Folsom, a resident of Mount Airy, Maryland, desperately needs your help. Mark’s life took an unexpected turn when in January of 2014, he was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis, or PPMS. PPMS is the most aggressive form of multiple sclerosis, and Mark’s condition continues to deteriorate. Mark has continued to remain as active as possible, but the PPMS is taking its toll. He has spent many years involved in his local community; as a member of his church choir, a judge and referee for the community dive team, an assistant soccer coach, and a leader for “Christmas in April” through his employer. Mark even spent a summer donating his carpentry skills to help remodel a portion of his church, and was always available to help out with last minute needs of Vacation Bible School. Unfortunately, due to his symptoms, like extreme fatigue and pain, Mark is no longer able to volunteer in the way that he once enjoyed. Despite his condition and suffering, Mark never complains, but is now at a point where his MS keeps him from enjoying the simpler things in his life. Taking a walk, maintaining relationships, and simple activities of daily living are becoming much more difficult. Mark knows that his disease will eventually rob him of his ability to enjoy life and spend quality time with his family.

Through extensive research, Mark found a promising treatment to the multiple sclerosis community, known as a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant or HSCT. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society defines HSCT as a way to “reboot” the immune system, which is responsible for damaging the brain and spinal cord in MS. Hematopoietic stem cells, which are derived from a person’s own autologous bone marrow or blood, are collected and stored, and the rest of the individual’s immune cells are depleted by chemotherapy. These stored cells are then reintroduced to the body, migrate to the bone marrow and over time produce new white blood cells. Eventually they repopulate the body with immune cells, thus halting the disease and in some individuals, reversing the damage.