- M
Want to hear a word that will change your life AMYLOIDOSIS.. while we hope it is a word that you will never hear again, apart from in this Go Fund Me post. It is unfortunately one that we learnt a week ago and has forever changed our lives.
My Mum, Elizabeth or Betty as she is called by those who know her best went in to RBWH on the 31st January this year to what we thought was a routine checkup for some breathing and heartbeat issues, and to our dismay, this is where she has stayed.
I never thought I would be writing a post like this asking our family, friends and complete strangers for help, but that word I mentioned before AMYLOIDOSIS and a week of tests and here we are. Let me first tell you about my Mum. She is 61 years, a wife of 40 years, a mother to 3, mother in law to 3 more, a grandmother to 7, a daughter, a sister to 4 and sister-in-law to many more. She has dedicated her life to teaching and guiding the children of today to become the citizens of tomorrow through her 35 years as an early childhood educator with Churches of Christ Family Day Care. She has not only touched the hearts of the family stated before but through her passion many more.
AL AMYLOIDOSIS, probably never heard of it, neither had we. it is a rare disease that affects 5 people per million per year and is a protein in the blood of its victims. This protein instead of being smooth and absorbed in the blood, becomes sticky and binds to the vital organs, which inhibits their natural function. In the case of my mum, it decided that the heart, stomach and bowel would be good places to call home. The disease makes the heart muscle stiff and in-turn the heart is unable to fill with blood to be pumped around the body. This protein continues to build up and causes what’s called Stiff Heart Syndrome and I think you can guess what happens next.
With such a small prevalence rate of this disease in Australia, knowledge and treatment options are limited. As a result of limited treatment options the prognosis of this disease is poor in Australia, without treatment Mum has been given just 6 months with us. We are Hoping that with the help of family, friends, strangers or anyone that my mums life has touched, we can raise the needed funds to seek treatment at the Boston or Mayo Clinic Amyloidosis Centre, where they are at the forefront of Stem Cell treatments for this disease and are giving patients an average of 6 - 10 years. Although we only learnt the name of this horrible disease a week ago, it feels like it has stolen our joy..
If you can help, please do. Every bit helps. If in the event that something goes wrong before we can seek treatment, all funds raised will be donated to Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital in Brisbane, Queensland. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Love Allan Davis (husband) and Bettys Children. Sharon & George Hepburn. Rebecca Davis & Steven Dries. Clinton Davis & Melissa Parsons.
My Mum, Elizabeth or Betty as she is called by those who know her best went in to RBWH on the 31st January this year to what we thought was a routine checkup for some breathing and heartbeat issues, and to our dismay, this is where she has stayed.
I never thought I would be writing a post like this asking our family, friends and complete strangers for help, but that word I mentioned before AMYLOIDOSIS and a week of tests and here we are. Let me first tell you about my Mum. She is 61 years, a wife of 40 years, a mother to 3, mother in law to 3 more, a grandmother to 7, a daughter, a sister to 4 and sister-in-law to many more. She has dedicated her life to teaching and guiding the children of today to become the citizens of tomorrow through her 35 years as an early childhood educator with Churches of Christ Family Day Care. She has not only touched the hearts of the family stated before but through her passion many more.
AL AMYLOIDOSIS, probably never heard of it, neither had we. it is a rare disease that affects 5 people per million per year and is a protein in the blood of its victims. This protein instead of being smooth and absorbed in the blood, becomes sticky and binds to the vital organs, which inhibits their natural function. In the case of my mum, it decided that the heart, stomach and bowel would be good places to call home. The disease makes the heart muscle stiff and in-turn the heart is unable to fill with blood to be pumped around the body. This protein continues to build up and causes what’s called Stiff Heart Syndrome and I think you can guess what happens next.
With such a small prevalence rate of this disease in Australia, knowledge and treatment options are limited. As a result of limited treatment options the prognosis of this disease is poor in Australia, without treatment Mum has been given just 6 months with us. We are Hoping that with the help of family, friends, strangers or anyone that my mums life has touched, we can raise the needed funds to seek treatment at the Boston or Mayo Clinic Amyloidosis Centre, where they are at the forefront of Stem Cell treatments for this disease and are giving patients an average of 6 - 10 years. Although we only learnt the name of this horrible disease a week ago, it feels like it has stolen our joy..
If you can help, please do. Every bit helps. If in the event that something goes wrong before we can seek treatment, all funds raised will be donated to Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital in Brisbane, Queensland. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Love Allan Davis (husband) and Bettys Children. Sharon & George Hepburn. Rebecca Davis & Steven Dries. Clinton Davis & Melissa Parsons.