Marlena Crispell

In February 2018, Marlena was in a car accident after which her body began to deteriorate. Within just 3 years, at 39 years old, Marlena has lost all voluntary leg movement and most of her core strength and arm mobility. It began with drop foot on her left, in 2018, which gradually took over her entire leg as well as her right. By August 2020 she was predominantly in a wheelchair and by the winter she required her chair to get around 100%. On August 9, 2021, after many doctors ruled out every other possibility, Marlena was diagnosed with ALS.

Over the last three years Marlena, her husband Tim, and the rest of our family have adjusted to each new challenge presented by her condition while holding on to the hope that someday doctors would be able to reverse the damage done to her body. Unfortunately, there is no cure or treatment for ALS. This means that more permanent solutions to these growing challenges need to be implemented, and funded, to help Marlena live a more comfortable and complete life while also ensuring her safety and reducing some of the accompanying stress on her and Tim. Chief among these solutions are a wheelchair accessible vehicle and an addition onto the ground floor of their home that would allow for an accessible bathroom and bedroom.

Our first priority is a wheelchair accessible vehicle, which is not covered by insurance in the least, to get her to and from doctor appointments. This purchase is a necessity, too, for her safety and wellbeing, as well as Tim’s, who has to lift her from her chair into the car and out again. When being lifted, Marlena can offer no assistance. As you will see in the accompanying video, she is unable to even hold her arms above Tim’s shoulders. With winter right around the corner, the risk of injury to both of them will rise exponentially.

Every medical professional we have spoken to since Marlena’s diagnosis has emphasized the correlation between mental state and longevity/quality of life. The more positive her state of mind the more time we are likely to have together. For more than a year, Marlena has hardly left the confines of her living room because even just going for a ride in the car is quite the project as, aside from getting in and out of the car, long excursions require two vehicles; one for her and one for her chair. Most of us can probably imagine what it is like to be cooped up for too long, thanks to the world shutting down in 2020, but as the world continues to open up Marlena is still cooped up. So, this wheelchair accessible vehicle will also provide her with the ability to get out, enjoy life, and maintain the positivity necessary to face her life with ALS.

Please consider donating to Help Hope Live in Marlena’s honor. The cost of living with ALS will be ongoing so we appreciate your help.

We, the family and friends of Marlena Crispell are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live in her honor to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with Catastrophic Illness.

We chose to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the GIVE button. And please share Marlena’s page on your social media. Ask me how!

For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.

Thank you for your support!