Braden's Lyme Disease Treatment Fund

For those of you that don’t already know, my brother Braden lives with chronic Lyme disease. For most of his life, Braden has lived with unexplained symptoms including chronic joint and muscle pain, inflammation, chronic fatigue, severe insomnia, concentration and attention difficulties, memory difficulties, brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, speech slurring, anxiety, and depression (to name a few).

For anyone unfamiliar with Lyme disease, it is extremely difficult to treat once it becomes chronic. Because of the extensive and comprehensive treatments required, it is not all that rare for someone with Lyme to spend $100,000 or more to get well.

Braden first attempted to seek treatment at home in Kenora but received no help or acknowledgement of his illness from the physicians that he visited. He sought a second opinion at a specialist clinic and received his official diagnosis in 2018. Since then, Braden has embarked on an ongoing journey that has involved taking on healthy lifestyle changes, researching Lyme, self-advocating for his well-being, and exploring various treatment options. Despite spending thousands of dollars on natural treatment options, Braden’s symptoms continued to worsen. With no success getting treatment in Canada, he has travelled to San Diego Clinic five times for treatments which only temporarily relieved the intensity of his symptoms for several months.

Braden’s ultimate goal is to eventually seek treatment options that provide more permanent, long-term relief from his symptoms. He recently reached out to Sponaugle Wellness Institute, a clinic in the States that specializes in treating brain and neurological disorders derived from Lyme disease. This clinic offers 12-16 weeks of extensive treatments that have been shown to provide more long-term relief from Lyme disease. Unfortunately, the treatment is unaffordable, at $135,000 CDN including travel and accommodation expenses for 12-16 weeks.

Over the years, I have seen my brother live with this illness and all the ways that it has affected his health, his wellbeing, and his life. He has had many ups and downs, but his treatments have given him a glimpse of what it would mean to get his life back. I created this page in the hopes that we can get Braden the treatment that he needs in order to afford him the physical and mental wellbeing to spend time with family, friends, and his kitty Dexter; to skateboard and enjoy life; and to pursue his career.

All donations will go towards Braden’s chronic Lyme treatment in the states. Thank you so much in advance for anyone who is able to donate or share this page! Every little bit helps and is extremely appreciated.

 

See https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20374651 for information about Lyme disease and https://www.sponauglewellness.com/about/dr-rick-sponaugle-md/ for more information about Sponaugle Wellness Institute.