Duane Wheeler

A Fighting Chance Against MS

Whether you know me or not, to see me is to think I am a perfectly healthy person, but unfortunately, this is not the case. Privately, I’ve been battling Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for several years and, every day I wage this war, I always lose. I have been a fighter all my life, but this fight can’t be fought alone anymore.

MS is a devastating, insidious and progressive disease that in most cases takes away a person’s quality of life little by little over several years. Relapses can occur at any time and vary in nature and severity. There have been signs that my body is no longer responding to the medications I’ve been taking for my disease.

After extensive research on different treatment options I learned of a new treatment – Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Therapy (HSCT). HSCT is the harvesting of my OWN stem cells before using chemotherapy to destroy my immune system to zero and then my cleansed cells are injected back into my body. It will reset my immune system, and this new immune system will have no recollection of ever attacking me. This treatment has shown to be effective in 75-90% of those treated with Relapsing Remitting MS, which is my form of MS. For those that have had this procedure, they call this their second birthday because essentially you are left with the immune system of a newborn baby.

While doing my research I also learned there are several hospitals around the world that already have a lot of experience performing HSCT with equally impressive results. This procedure is not yet approved by the FDA here in the United States and it is astronomically expensive. However, it is found to cost less in places such as Mexico, Russia, Israel and Germany. These facilities are world class and are run by leading physicians in their field. Not only have I been placed on the waiting lists but also the cancellation list in the hopes of cutting my wait time significantly. This means I have to be ready to leave for the 5-week treatment at a moment’s notice. This treatment is a blessing that could potentially halt my MS, however, financing it is incredibly daunting. The approximate cost of the treatment and the travel expenses to and from the respective country for myself and a required caregiver can be upwards of $70,000. This is a challenge I cannot face alone.

To help with the financial burden of my uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in my 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 South-Atlantic Stem Cell Transplant Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider a contribution.

For credit card contributions, please click the yellow Donate Now bar.

Thank you for your good wishes and generosity. I also ask that you share this with your social networks and churches.

Duane Wheeler
434-466-2200
[email protected]