In March 2014, after two exhaustive years of searching for an answer, it was a relief to finally come to a conclusion about what was wrong with me – I was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). The illness has taken its toll on me and my body. On any given morning I might wake up and be unable to walk, see, speak, or use my arms and hands. Some days I experience double vision, exhaustion and numbness. Some days it’s a real deep, indefinable kind of weakness.I’ve been in and out of the hospital, which has left me unable to work at times.
There is no cure for MS, however, I have tried every conceivable approach to mitigate the symptoms, including holistic medicine, Chinese herbs, and various pharmaceutical interventions to no avail. After extensive research on where to turn next, I discovered a promising treatment in clinical trials at Northwestern Memorial Hospital under the direction of Dr. Richard Burt. The treatment involves the extraction of my own stem cells, followed by chemotherapy, after which these cells are re-introduced into my body to hopefully reverse the symptoms of MS. This stem cell transplant is my best hope to live – and thrive.
Updates (2)
February 20, 2017
Hello everyone! Fantastic news. After many months of fighting with insurance, my family and I decided to switch insurances. Our new insurance, BCBS, has approved the stem cell transplant. Thank you to everyone who has donated. The money raised will be used for travel, housing, and food expenses while I am in Chicago. I go in at the beginning of April and should be discharged the last week of May if everything goes as planned. I can't wait for this phase of my life to start and I can't wait to say that I used to have multiple sclerosis! Any money from this fund that isn't used will be donated to other people in similar situations. Again thank you so very much.
October 24, 2016
Hi everyone and thanks for viewing my page! The amount donated updates at the end of each day so don't be concerned if the number doesn't rise after you donate.
