Dawn Benjamin's Battle With ALS
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When a member of your family needs you, you don’t hesitate to step up and help in every way you can. Dawn is our family, and she is facing one of his toughest fights yet, ALS. Together we are hoping to raise money for Dawn so that she can seek the treatment, medical equipment, and other medical necessities she so desperately needs. Here is her story. Please consider donating to help her with this fight.
Have you ever wondered what a life having ALS would mean for you? We see many people in the media who suffer from terrible illnesses, but have you ever stopped and tried to put yourself in their shoes? I hadn’t, but now I wish I had. Now I wake up tired when I used to wake up energized and ready to fight the day. Now I struggle to brush my teeth every morning when I used to drive a dump truck every day. Now I need help buttoning up the shirts and pants I used to wear to spend time with my family and friends. I wish I could have anticipated what my life would be like with a disease like ALS. But “The Beast” that is this disease is one that I have to face every single day, never being able to anticipate what everyday task I will have trouble with next. If we all take a moment to think about how our lives and the lives of those we love would be effected with diseases such as ALS, it may create more of an incentive to spread awareness and encourage many to become involved in the critical steps needed to finally beat “The Beast” for good. Let me tell you about my journey thus far with ALS.
I had a vague idea of what ALS was from learning about baseball player Lou Gehrig being diagnosed with the disease. I learned that ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. That it is a disease in which nerve cells break down, which reduces functionality in the muscles they supply. That a cause is unknown and the main symptom is muscle weakness. That medication and therapy can slow ALS, but there is no cure. That it is very rare. I remember thinking that this is a terrible disease for those who suffer from it. I remember hoping that the money raised would lead to research discovering a cure. Little did I know how ALS would affect my life and my family.
At age 18, my precious son was born; however, he was sadly diagnosed with downs syndrome and then 3 weeks later he lost his father to a tragic car accident. Between 1986 and 1994, I was blessed with 6 more children, 3 boys and 3 girls. All my children are grown now, all but my oldest with their own families. My blessings have continued with the addition of 21, and one on the way, grandchildren. My oldest son has always lived with me and I am his sole supporter and caregiver.
At age 56, I retired from driving a dump truck. It was a difficult decision to make leaving the only job, and source of income, I had, but when I fell trying to climb out of my truck, I knew I had no choice. I was looking forward to spending more time with my family and friends, traveling, and enjoying all the birthdays and holidays for years to come. Last year, around October, I noticed the fingers on my right kept cramping up and I had muscle twitching in my biceps. By March of this year, I began to what’s known as drop foot in my left foot and made an appointment with my doctor and she suggested I see a neurologist. I took her suggestion and went to several different neurologists because the weakness in my right hand/arm and left leg were getting worse. After numerous tests, the neurologist explained he believed I had ALS. My family and I were devastated. Wondering how this could happen, why did this happen, and how was I going to continue to do for my son that needed me? After my family and I came to grips with the news, we all decided that we were going to do everything we could to fight this disease.
Since being diagnosed, I have tried everything from medications, supplements, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. The disease is still slowly progressing. I went from raising 7 children and driving a dump truck every day to asking family and friends to help me with tasks that I used to accomplish in seconds.
There are many assistive devices available to help me maintain my independence for as long as possible and make things more comfortable and easier with the progression of this disease; however, very few of these devices +-are covered by insurance.
This disease has changed my life and my family’s life. All the plans we had are now out of reach. I now need to fight for my family because my family is my world. I hope that one day we will be able to do all the things we had planned to do.
I have signed up to be a part of clinical trials for promising new treatments and medication as we are not giving up or losing hope. I am going to try alternative and experimental treatments which are not covered by insurance. We ask that you please consider how you would be affected or how someone you love would be affected by ALS. After doing so we hope you consider donating to my cause.
As Lou Gehrig once said, “I might have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for.”
Organizer
Nikki Walker
Organizer
Gaithersburg, MD