November 5, 2015
This was a newspaper article in Clay Today
MIDDLEBURG – Mike Carns was an active duty Marine when he served in Operation Desert Storm and would have preferred to have remained on active duty, but he can’t even stay in the Florida National Guard because of multiple sclerosis.
He was diagnosed two years ago and he has enough difficulty even walking. Carns is raising money to go to Mexico for a treatment not offered in the United States. With a Nov. 23 deadline fast approaching, Carns is asking for help garnering as much as $75,000 to travel to Mexico for treatment not offered in the U.S.
"I’m trying to go to Mexico for a procedure called an HSC – a Hematopoietic Stem Cell transplant. They go in and take your stem cells out of your body and cultivate them. While they’re cultivating them, they give you chemotherapy treatment to wipe out your immune system, he said.
"After a couple of days, they put the stem cells back in after the chemo has from page 1
wiped out the MS and the stem cells will, hopefully, repair any damage the MS has done."
Earlier this year, Carns was raising funds to go to Israel for the procedure. It wasn’t available in Mexico at the time, so now that he doesn’t need to travel as far, he only needs about half of the $150,000 he was working toward earlier.
"Mexico now has a doctor who used to be at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and they’re offering the treatment as an outpatient procedure where they set you up in an apartment next to the hospital," he said. "Because the procedure wipes out your immune system, they come in and clean every day and keep you isolated from other patients by keeping you outside of the hospital."
Carns said his girlfriend will go along in order to care for him and that expense is not included in the amount he’s trying to raise. He said the procedure alone costs $50,000. Then, there is airfare, housing and six doses of chemotherapy here at home after he returns. These expenses have to be prepared for before he can be scheduled for the treatment in Mexico, which he said is booking patients through 2017.
Carns said Mexico and Canada are the only nations in the Western hemisphere that offer the procedure and Mexico is the only one open to international patients. The HSC transplant is not a widespread treatment in the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration permits its use only for cer- tain life-threatening conditions and MS is not considered one of them.
However, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information website, U.S. government-funded national resource for molecular biology, clinical studies have shown the HSC transplant can completely halt disease activity in the majority of patients with aggressive relapsing and remitting MS. Research also indicates it leads to renewal of a healthy immune system.
Carns said he has raised about $4,500, so he has a long way to go but refuses to retreat. The father of three said the effort is to spare nothing in fighting this medical battle.
"I don’t want to manage this disease – I want to beat it. I’m only 45-years-old and for five years, I haven’t been able to walk right," he said. "I can sit, lay, even drive, but as soon as I stand up, I get exhausted quickly. My thighs get so weak, they just don’t want to move my legs and my balance is off."
Carns said he has more energy in the morning but has to take a nap by the middle of the day to keep going a few more hours until evening. By that time, he’s fatigued just from average daily movements.
"It’s like this – imagine you start your day with a bucket of water and everything you do is like a cup of water coming out. It isn’t going to last long," he said, referring to how quickly MS saps his energy.
Carns is being treated by the cancer center at the Veterans Administration hospital in Lake City, Fla. He doesn’t work and has no medical insurance. He is in a waiting period before he can begin receiving Social Security Disability Insurance.
Multiple sclerosis turns the body’s immune system on itself and attacks the protective sheath encasing nerves, called myelin. The resulting damage disrupts signals from the brain from connecting with muscles and nerves, causing deterioration over time.
For more information, visit gethsct.com and to donate, visit m.helphopelive.org/campaign/6491.
Former U.S. Marine Michael Carns of Middleburg, shown here with his son, has turned to crowdfunding to help fund multiple sclerosis treatments in Mexico.
Michael Carns pictured here with his girlfriend, Kelly Copeta.
November 5, 2015
Here is my latest news story on news4jax channel 4
m.news4jax.com
October 23, 2015
I will hopefully find a date next Friday for evaluation. Thank you everyone for your support and help.
October 21, 2015
Thank you all very much
October 21, 2015
Thank you EVERYONE!! I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
September 16, 2015
Thank you to everyone who has donated to this point, both here directly and also by coming to the fundraiser attended by so many this past spring. It is very touching.
September 2, 2015
Battling FLARE ups and the VA with timely requests. Wearing me down and increasing disability. 1.5 months to go for fundraising for HSCT.
August 13, 2015
I am going to go to Chicago to be evaluated. 3rd times the charm for application to the study in the U.S. Northwestern and Dr. Burt. This would keep me in country, but the price goes back up again.
August 12, 2015
8/11
Hopefully getting the walkaide to help with walking until my procedure.
July 28, 2015
2 months to go. Need to get to $75,000 for my cure. The final push.
June 16, 2015
6/16/15
Escaping the 100+ degree days in Florida. Patiently waiting for Nov. and my trip to Mexico I hope. Hiding in cooler NY for now.
May 26, 2015
Thank you everyone who made May 9, 2015 a wonderful event. It was great seeing many old faces. I appreciate everyone coming out. God bless you all.
May 8, 2015
Met my new neuro today. Started steroids for a week and something to see if it helps with fatigue. Was offered May 25, not sure I can get to the goal in time though.
April 29, 2015
Changed to a new venue in our hemisphere. New date is Nov 23, 2015. Last person accepted for this year. Hopefully home in time for Christmas, but either way a great Christmas present. My life back.
April 13, 2015
Looking forward to being able to walk again someday. Long road ahead but the tunnel has light.
April 7, 2015
Easter was great. Spent time laughing with my kids. Today my daughter turns 12. Another happy day.
March 31, 2015
Looking to do a second interview with fox/cbs and setting up an initial interview with ABC/NBC. All need to know this procedure has been around since 1968.
Thank you all for your generosity and support. Next VA appointment is April 17.
March 19, 2015
I am familiar with Northwestern. Unfortunately I do not qualify.
March 12, 2015
3/12 working on raising awareness as I see videos of people with the procedure I am holding out hope to walk again.
Thank you everyone.
March 8, 2015
Date from Israel is July5. New birthday and independence.
March 7, 2015
Thank you everyone. It has been a great first few days. Hope lives. Did an interview with the print press (Clay Today) our local paper. I'm in contact with A lady in Israel right now getting the procedure from Oceanside, California.
March 5, 2015
VA appt. Postponed by the VA til 3/18.
March 4, 2015
3/4/2015 VA appt. tomorrow with neuro.
March 3, 2015
Day 1: starting funding. VA app set for Thur with neurologist.
