Help Save a Young Father After Viral Infection Complications
Donación protegida
Our dear friend Ian Eilbacher, a devoted 39-year-old father and loving husband, is in the fight of his life.
Just 18 months ago, Ian was a vibrant, passionate biology teacher at Mount Olive High School in New Jersey, and an active father who loved spending time with his 3-year-old son, Wes, and sharing everyday moments with his wife, Siobhan. But since December 2023, after devastating complications from a viral infection, Ian has become confined to a bed, unable to walk, bathe, and even use the bathroom without debilitating physical consequences and agonizing pain.
Ian has been diagnosed with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), and Autonomic Small Fiber Neuropathy - conditions which are complex and require treatment by highly specialized doctors. His inability to work with this illness has caused him to lose his teaching position, which has left him without income or health insurance. Since then, he had to fight to be covered by Medicaid, which regularly denies treatments his doctors prescribe. Ian now lives at his parents’ home and requires 24-hour care, requiring him to be separated from his wife and son who live nearly an hour away. The joyful life this young family once lived has been replaced with a daily battle for survival.
Ian has been to countless specialist appointments and undergoes constant medical testing. Throughout this nightmare, he has been failed by medical professionals, insurance companies, and the healthcare system, but Ian hasn’t given up the fight. Through his own research when he's physically able, and with help from others in his patient community, he’s identified a few promising new treatment options. He has also recently had success finding and working with some of the most qualified specialists in the niche field of post viral complications, who are guiding him through these cutting-edge treatments. The challenge he now faces is gaining access to these treatments, which, due to the novel nature of their use for Ian’s illness, will not be covered by insurance and must be self-funded. After 18 months without a job and countless medical expenses, the Eilbachers simply cannot afford treatments that could finally give him the chance to get his life back.
We created this page to help support Ian and his family in this fight – with treatments, medical supplies and home care, neurological and autoimmune care, and basic living expenses.
Any amount you can contribute will help support this young family. Even sharing this fundraiser is a powerful way to support the Eilbachers during this difficult time. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading, caring, and giving Ian a chance to reclaim his life.
For more information about Ian's illness, and stories from others suffering the same condition, please visit the links below:
https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2015/08/05/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-worse-mulitple-sclerosis-cancer/
Organizador y beneficiario
Christopher Drake
Organizador
Randolph Township, NJ
Ed Eilbacher
Beneficiario