Brian Lederman's Journey Back to Health
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Brian's Story
I grew up in NY and my dad died of cancer when I was 3. My mom became a drug addict soon after my fathers death. She was taking pills . My mom became immersed in her addiction and I was left to raise and care for myself at a very early age. When I was 9 I had gotten sick. I was terrified to say anything because of my mom's temper and abuse so I walked around with it for a few weeks. It got worse and after a few weeks I ended up passing out in school and woke up in the I.C.U. in a local hospital. I had IV's inside me and my heart was being monitored. I was very confused and mostly scared. The doctors told me I had an infection that had spread to my pancrease and killed it's function making me a type 1 diabetic. I didn't know what that meant. The hospital staff tried to educate me on my self care but I was alone and couldn't really comprehend the magnitude of the situation. I wasn't adhering to the medical care I learned from the hospital but I because I was unsupervised at home my self care suffered. I struggled through the next few decades of my life. I studied fitness and nutrition and took care of myself as best I could. By 19, I was blind in 1 eye, lost vision in my other, had neuropathy in my lower legs and was just trying to make it. Years passed and I moved to south Florida and met my wife. After we got married we tried unsuccessfully to have children for 3 years (because of my poor self care). We then decided to become foster parents. We took all the required classes and began to foster children who's parents were in jail, drug addicts or waiting a court decision for replacement with their kid(s). We fostered several children for several years. One little girl named April, was a 4 yr old little girl who was physically, sexually abused by her parents as well as neglected. We fell in love with her and decided to adopt her. We started the adoption process. The final stage was a full physical. I hadn't had a physical in over 30 yrs. The physical revealed I was in stage 4 kidney failure about to go into stage 5 (dialysis and a transplant). They stopped the adoption and re-placed April. We were heartbroken. Soon after my wife lost her job and our insurance. Everything my wife and I make goes towards all my healthcare needs, most importantly, the transplant operation ($150,000).
At this time, Since I am not in the financial positon to receive the double transplant my body needs to stay alive and my diabetes has become so profound because of these ill operating organs and all the prescription medication I am on.. My condition is so erratic that I lost my ability and independence to drive,
I am asking for your help to raise money for a Stem Cell Procedure (as well as other medical bills incurred) which has been shown to doing incredible regeneration of healthy cells. It is a fraction of the cost of the transplant and could hold off any need of a transplant for upto 20 years. This is an alternative to the transplant that will allow me to continue working and not alter my lifestyle as drastically (my ability to exercise and continue training people and teaching classes would be greatly inhibited). I love training people and training myself. It is my passion and life wouldn't be the same without it. Your help would allow me to preseve my passion, independance, productivity and happiness. Any help would be eternally appreciated. Thank you
Brian Lederman
Organizer
Carrie Goodman
Organizer
