Ryan Quirk Medical Fund
Donation protected
From birth, the deck has been stacked against my friend, Ryan. Ryan was born with two very rare and unrelated diseases, Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD), and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). CGD would leave him exposed to bacterial and fungal infections, and AS would attack his joints and bones, leaving him in constant pain. Treatment for these diseases is often invasive and painful. Unfortunately for Ryan and his family, neither of these issues would get better with time.
Ryan is now 35. In recent years, his health has worsened. He is at the point now, where his lungs can no longer function properly, which requires him to be on oxygen full time. The very things we take for granted, like breathing and walking, are a labor and struggle for him!
Because of his private and positive nature, I know that this is the first time many of you are hearing of this. However, Ryan is now in need of a lung transplant, and is a potential candidate for the procedure at the University of Pittsburgh's Medical Center. This is great news, and can truly change his life! However, it is news that requires significant commitment and action....not only by Ryan and his family, but by all of us as well (his friends and extended family).
Recently, Ryan has had some set backs...suffering heart and lung issues that required him to be hospitalized and in Intensive Care for weeks. Expenses are mounting, and the prospect of future medical bills is huge. If Ryan is fortunate enough to be selected into the lung transplant program, he and his mother will have to move to Pittsburgh while they wait for a donor. They need to be able to get to the hospital within the mandatory 4 hour timeframe. Not only would this take her away from work and her ability to earn an income, but it would also add some huge expenses. Insurance covers only so much...
It is time for us to stand up for our friend and his family and reach out a helping hand!
Many of us give generously to charities all year long. Sometimes we are able to put the face of a friend or loved one to them, and sometimes we just know that it is a good cause. Whatever your reason is, please help my hero and friend, Ryan!
We all know he would be the first one in line if we needed help!
Thank you,
Brendan Glynn
More about CGD:
It is a rare, inherited disease affecting about four to six people in every million. It affects the body's immune system and white blood cells, making it difficult to fight off infections and maintain healthy tissues throughout the body. The result is recurring or persistent bacterial and fungal infections over a person's lifetime.
Typical ailments are pneumonia, infectious dermatitis, and recurrent or severe subcutaneous abscesses.
Living with CGD requires taking daily preventative medications and being treated if infection strikes. Research shows that through treatments such as bone marrow transplants, people living with CGD may be able to cure themselves of the disease.
Links for more information on CGD:
http://www.nim.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001239.htm
http://www.cgdassociation.org/index.php
http://www.primaryimmune.org
More about AS:
AS is an inflammatory disease that primarily affects the person's spine, although other joints can become involved. It can also stiffen the rib cage, resulting in restricted lung capacity and function. Chronic inflammation leads to severe, chronic pain and discomfort. Currently, there is no cure for AS, but treatments and medication can decrease pain and lessen symptoms.
Links for more information:
http://www.spondylitis.org/main.aspx
http://www.arthritis.org/conditions-treatments/disease-center/ankylosing-spondylitis-as/
Ryan is now 35. In recent years, his health has worsened. He is at the point now, where his lungs can no longer function properly, which requires him to be on oxygen full time. The very things we take for granted, like breathing and walking, are a labor and struggle for him!
Because of his private and positive nature, I know that this is the first time many of you are hearing of this. However, Ryan is now in need of a lung transplant, and is a potential candidate for the procedure at the University of Pittsburgh's Medical Center. This is great news, and can truly change his life! However, it is news that requires significant commitment and action....not only by Ryan and his family, but by all of us as well (his friends and extended family).
Recently, Ryan has had some set backs...suffering heart and lung issues that required him to be hospitalized and in Intensive Care for weeks. Expenses are mounting, and the prospect of future medical bills is huge. If Ryan is fortunate enough to be selected into the lung transplant program, he and his mother will have to move to Pittsburgh while they wait for a donor. They need to be able to get to the hospital within the mandatory 4 hour timeframe. Not only would this take her away from work and her ability to earn an income, but it would also add some huge expenses. Insurance covers only so much...
It is time for us to stand up for our friend and his family and reach out a helping hand!
Many of us give generously to charities all year long. Sometimes we are able to put the face of a friend or loved one to them, and sometimes we just know that it is a good cause. Whatever your reason is, please help my hero and friend, Ryan!
We all know he would be the first one in line if we needed help!
Thank you,
Brendan Glynn
More about CGD:
It is a rare, inherited disease affecting about four to six people in every million. It affects the body's immune system and white blood cells, making it difficult to fight off infections and maintain healthy tissues throughout the body. The result is recurring or persistent bacterial and fungal infections over a person's lifetime.
Typical ailments are pneumonia, infectious dermatitis, and recurrent or severe subcutaneous abscesses.
Living with CGD requires taking daily preventative medications and being treated if infection strikes. Research shows that through treatments such as bone marrow transplants, people living with CGD may be able to cure themselves of the disease.
Links for more information on CGD:
http://www.nim.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001239.htm
http://www.cgdassociation.org/index.php
http://www.primaryimmune.org
More about AS:
AS is an inflammatory disease that primarily affects the person's spine, although other joints can become involved. It can also stiffen the rib cage, resulting in restricted lung capacity and function. Chronic inflammation leads to severe, chronic pain and discomfort. Currently, there is no cure for AS, but treatments and medication can decrease pain and lessen symptoms.
Links for more information:
http://www.spondylitis.org/main.aspx
http://www.arthritis.org/conditions-treatments/disease-center/ankylosing-spondylitis-as/
Organizer
Karen Wild
Organizer
