Jenel Kludsikofsky

JENEL NEEDS OUR SUPPORT IN A VERY BIG WAY!

For the past 24 years, Jenel has experienced a steady decline in her ability to live life to the fullest. Jenel is a 49-year-old, single mom of two boys who has multiple sclerosis (MS). I have known Jenel for 11 years. When I first met her I had no idea that she had MS. She was able to walk normally although she went up and down stairs slowly. She was so full of life and had such a positive attitude about everything that I was shocked when she shared her health concerns with me. Over the past 11 years I have witnessed a steady deterioration of her motor skills. She is no longer able to walk unassisted and when she has to move over long distances she uses a motorized scooter. Her energy level which was very high is now easily fatigued. Makes it difficult to keep up with her two very active sons!

MS is an incurable disease in which the insulating covers of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This damage has disrupted the ability of parts of the nervous system to communicate and has led to a slow progression in the loss of mobility, balance and has contributed to extreme fatigue for Jenel. The good news is that today there is a treatment that just might stop the progression and even has the potential to reverse the damage! But, Jenel needs our help! The cost of the stem cell transplant is overwhelming and not covered by insurance. Just to be clear, she will be using her own stem cells!

Jenel has spent her entire life in Auburn, Washington. She raised her family there and has enjoyed many years supporting her sons in their pursuit of sports. She is really looking forward to being more actively involved in their activities rather than sitting on the side lines, quite often being separated from others as she is unable to navigate the stairs to join others in the stands. Jenel has always been a very independent person and looks forward to the possibility of not having to rely on others for her basic needs. The declining quality of life described by her physician is horrifying. The thought of being a burden to her family and life-long dependency on medications that only help slow the definite progression of the disease is difficult for me to live with. I must do something to help her and I am inviting you to do the same. The treatment will be life changing but most definitely a financial burden for this single mom. The expenses include the actual stem cell transplant, airfare and all follow up procedures. She needs to raise $20,000 in the next 90 days.

To help with the financial burden of Jenel’s uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in her 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 Northwest 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 button.

Thank you for your prayers, support and generosity. Keep an eye on Jenel’s campaign page at www.helphopelive.org because we will be planning some fundraising events soon and posting updates regularly.

With much gratitude,

Patty Flanagan-Linderman
(Jenel’s close friend and avid supporter) [email protected]