Eleni's Stem Cell Journey
Donation protected
Hello family and friends! And hopefully friends of family and friends!
As you may know, I've been battling MS for almost 10 years. MS is a chronic disabling auto immune disease that effects the central nervous system.. Ie. The brain and spinal cord. Currently I am in a relapse/remitting phase (aka :rrms) Meaning that there's periods of time in which my disease worsens and then gets better with treatment.
My most severe relapse left me with stroke - like symptoms. I was unable to walk, talk, see, hear, taste, feed/bathe /dress myself or hold my body upright. I spent a week in the hospital and two weeks in Kessler Institute for intensive rehabilitation.
When my disease is in "remission" I still battle symptoms left over from these relapses. These symptoms effect my daily life.
I maintain a smile on the outside while my body wages war on the inside.
I've tried many different treatments for my ms.. Including the standard disease modifying injection - Copaxone... Chemotherapy - Novantrone... Immune globulin... Steroids... Plasmapheresis and now Rituxan (a monoclonal antibody that destroys and depletes certain immune cells). While these drugs can help reduce relapses... They cannot stop the disease from progressing. Most rrms patients after 10-15 years progress to a more progressive form. SPMS - Secondary progressive MS.
The good news is that there are clinical trials happening here in the United States - mainly at northwestern University Hospital in Chicago. It is a procedure commonly used for certain types of cancer - lymphoma, leukemia etc. It's called HSCT - Hematopoeitic Stem Cell Transplant. It has shown a very high success rate in rebooting the immune system - minus the auto immune disease. (almost 90% of people remain in remission over 5 years after treatment...once past this point it is thought to be permanent. The longest patient followed is going on 14 years!!!)
I've been accepted to travel to Chicago for an evaluation to see if I qualify for this treatment. I'm asking for your help to raise $ to help defray the cost. I will be responsible for my own travel, lodging and transportation for me and my travel companion. My evaluation is set for January 13th and 14th. Please help me get to this evaluation.
This treatment could be life changing for me! If you can't donate at this time, prayers are also appreciated!
http://www.stemcell-immunotherapy.org/
This treatment is being used to treat many different autoimmune disorders. If you know someone who you think could benefit,please share this website. And if you need additional info...please contact me. As much as this is a fundraiser to get me there, I also want to spread the word to give others hope!
Thanks you from the bottom of my heart! <3
Me , Grams and Momma
As you may know, I've been battling MS for almost 10 years. MS is a chronic disabling auto immune disease that effects the central nervous system.. Ie. The brain and spinal cord. Currently I am in a relapse/remitting phase (aka :rrms) Meaning that there's periods of time in which my disease worsens and then gets better with treatment.
My most severe relapse left me with stroke - like symptoms. I was unable to walk, talk, see, hear, taste, feed/bathe /dress myself or hold my body upright. I spent a week in the hospital and two weeks in Kessler Institute for intensive rehabilitation.
When my disease is in "remission" I still battle symptoms left over from these relapses. These symptoms effect my daily life.
I maintain a smile on the outside while my body wages war on the inside.
I've tried many different treatments for my ms.. Including the standard disease modifying injection - Copaxone... Chemotherapy - Novantrone... Immune globulin... Steroids... Plasmapheresis and now Rituxan (a monoclonal antibody that destroys and depletes certain immune cells). While these drugs can help reduce relapses... They cannot stop the disease from progressing. Most rrms patients after 10-15 years progress to a more progressive form. SPMS - Secondary progressive MS.
The good news is that there are clinical trials happening here in the United States - mainly at northwestern University Hospital in Chicago. It is a procedure commonly used for certain types of cancer - lymphoma, leukemia etc. It's called HSCT - Hematopoeitic Stem Cell Transplant. It has shown a very high success rate in rebooting the immune system - minus the auto immune disease. (almost 90% of people remain in remission over 5 years after treatment...once past this point it is thought to be permanent. The longest patient followed is going on 14 years!!!)
I've been accepted to travel to Chicago for an evaluation to see if I qualify for this treatment. I'm asking for your help to raise $ to help defray the cost. I will be responsible for my own travel, lodging and transportation for me and my travel companion. My evaluation is set for January 13th and 14th. Please help me get to this evaluation.
This treatment could be life changing for me! If you can't donate at this time, prayers are also appreciated!
http://www.stemcell-immunotherapy.org/
This treatment is being used to treat many different autoimmune disorders. If you know someone who you think could benefit,please share this website. And if you need additional info...please contact me. As much as this is a fundraiser to get me there, I also want to spread the word to give others hope!
Thanks you from the bottom of my heart! <3
Me , Grams and MommaOrganizer
Eleni Christoforou
Organizer
West Caldwell, NJ