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Kelly always felt deep in her heart that “something wasn’t right”. She would wake up with fatigue and pain, even after a good night’s rest. Seven years ago, Kelly suddenly lost feeling on the right side of her body while at her gym. “I must have pulled something”, she thought. A few weeks later she lost vision in her left eye. Her nightmare was just beginning — Kelly was diagnosed with relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic condition that only tends to get worse. MS is an unpredictable, disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, to the body. While there is no cure, high doses of medications and steroids, and painful injections, would be Kelly’s new way of life. She was told she would not get better, but medications may slow down her illness if she were lucky.
Kelly had many “relapses” and eventually gave up her job, volunteer work, outdoor activities, and eventually she became disabled. The heat, walking, standing, singing, her memory; everything was changing for Kelly and she was no longer able to do the things she once knew. The MS was and is destroying Kelly’s body.
Kelly married her college sweetheart, Dan and they have two adorable, young daughters together, Danielle and Gwen, and Kelly is the step-mother to Cheyenne and Madison. More than ever, Kelly wants to get better so she can enjoy her time with her children, and give them the life they deserve. After researching new treatments for MS, Kelly found that a physician at the University of Chicago was running the 3rd phase of FDA approved clinical trials using chemotherapy and stem cell transplants to treat MS. There is an 86% success rate with this type of treatment, known as HSCT therapy.
While Kelly travels for treatment, her husband will be required to take off of work. She will also incur out-of- pocket medical expenses for travel and lodging, transportation, meals, caregiver fees, and health insurance premiums. If Kelly is not accepted into the study at the University of Chicago, this means she will be heading elsewhere for a stem-cell transplant, and could cost upwards of $150,000. Kelly desperately need your help!
Please click on “Donate Now”, and know that any donation amount is truly appreciated and one step closer to Kelly receiving her much needed treatment! Thank you for your consideration and support,
Gratefully,
Kelly’s loving family and friends
Hi there!
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. This is my first post here, so let me tell you what's been going on and what I'm trying to do.
I was diagnosed in 2007 with Relapsing Remitting MS. That basically means that every once in a while my immune system decides that my nervous system is an invader and attacks it. This can be brought on by a cold, stress, heat, or just being overtired. I have 4 kids. There's no way to avoid any of that! The doctors told me when I was diagnosed that it looked like I'd had MS for a really long time. Probably since my teens. I just turned 40. I'm ready to be done now.
There is no cure for MS. But recently I found a study they're running in Chicago where they harvest a patients stem cells, give them chemotherapy, knock out their immune system and then replace the stem cells. Basically rebooting their immune system. It has an 86% success rate! It's due to be approved by the FDA in 2022. I can't wait that long. I don't want my disability to progress.
If I get accepted there is a good chance that my insurance will cover most of the medical stuff. But, there's more to it than that. I'd need airplane tickets to Chicago, a hotel room for the few weeks in between hospital stays and there's a possibility that I'll have to bring someone with me so I'm not alone in the hotel. I'm not sure what the rules on that are yet. There's also a chance that I'll be put in the "control arm" of the study. Which means they'll put me on an approved MS drug and recheck me in 6 months. If I've gotten worse they will probably switch me over and give me the treatment. That's a lot of flights back and forth to Chicago.
My other option is to travel out of the United States and have this done in Toronto or Mexico or one of the other five or six facilities that are offering this treatment. If I travel out of the country my insurance will not cover anything. That would definitely be out of network!
So, I've sent my initial information in to the hospital in Chicago and I'm still waiting to hear back. I am not going to give up. My family needs a fully functional mom and I'm determined to make this happen.
I've also started my own blog if you'd like to check it out. Stemmiesformommy.blogspot.com
Thanks for reading! Have an awesome day. :)
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Get them Stemmies! Good Luck....I am crossing my fingers and toes for you!
Kerry
You are beautiful and I hope the very best for you Kelly and your family. I will ask prayers for you.
Kathy McLemore
I shared this, hopefully it will hit someone's heart to donate. I will but I don't have much so I don't want to donate until you have so many donating you won't notice my $.50 ;-). I'll keep checking on your progress. You are very brave and incredible.
Aunt Abby
Make checks payable to:
Help Hope Live
Note in memo:
In honor of Kelly Gaiser
Mail to:
Help Hope Live
2 Radnor Corporate Center
Suite 100
100 Matsonford Road
Radnor, PA 19087
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