Chris Valerio

You Can Make a Difference in Chris’ Life

As many of you know, my brother Chris was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease (LD) that went undiagnosed and untreated for more than five years. During that time period, Chris saw 15 different neurologists and none of them ever suggested he be tested for LD, which is so often undiagnosed, misdiagnosed and totally misunderstood. Once finally tested, Chris was positive for LD and co-infections Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, West Nile Virus and Babesia. This long delay in diagnosis allowed this disease to completely take over his body. With his whole life ahead of him, Chris is now wheelchair-bound, unable to complete even the easiest of daily tasks. He cannot walk, eat, bathe or dress himself without our assistance. He cannot speak — this is the most frustrating symptom of all.

After extensive research on the latest LD treatment options, we found a top specialist in upstate New York. For our family and our doctor, quitting is not a word in our vocabulary and this family battle, to return Chris to health, will continue until we succeed.

We are so grateful to all our friends whose support over the past several years has allowed us to try many different treatment options. We know that our fight is a marathon, not a sprint and the physical, emotional and financial burden will continue.

Our yearly expenses have averaged $25,000. Looking into the future, as many new medical options become available, we know that they will come with larger price tags, too. We realize a strong fundraising effort for Chris will open up so many treatment options for him; options that will unlock the mystery of his illness and hopefully, give him back his life.

To help offset such expenses, a fundraising campaign in Chris’ honor has been established with Help Hope Live, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to patients and their families for more than 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law, are held by Help Hope Live in the Mid-Atlantic Catastrophic Illness Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for illness-related expenses only. If you would like to make a contribution please click the DONATE NOW button.

Please pass Chris’ story along to your many contacts, both corporate and personal. Be sure to check Chris’ campaign page at www.helphopelive.org for future fundraising events and updates on his progress.

Thank you for your support!

Lauren Valerio
[email protected]