Free my sister from MS
Donation protected
I want to raise money for my sister and her family to assist in getting a cutting-edge treatment for her multiple sclerosis. My sister and her husband will travel to Panama’s Stem Cell Institute in the beginning of June for treatment. The stem cells used are from donated umbilical cord. For more information on the treatment, visit their website (cellmedicine.com). As you can imagine, it. costs. a. lot. She may need additional future treatments; and they don’t get a frequent shopper punch card or discount. They’re also putting everything they have into getting this treatment, this hope. Continued physical therapy after the treatment will only improve the treatment’s effectiveness. It’s going to take a lot of positivity, hope, and work on my sister’s part to get a better quality of life. And this is the first bright light in almost ten years.
My older sister, by 16 months, started showing symptoms after having her first child. Things like extreme fatigue and tingling in her extremities. Her symptoms seemed to subside during her second pregnancy, but shortly after, her symptoms became debilitating. It was chaos. She lost control over her muscles and joints. Fatigue played a huge toll on her body. Oh, and remember, she had a newborn, a two-year-old, and an older stepson. She was having a full-blown flare up. She and her husband sought medical attention and found out that she had relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Diagnosed at the age of 28. After 2 years undiagnosed. The MRI revealed a significant number of lesions on her brain. Her inferior field of vision created eye problems, later followed by loss of control of her eye muscles. She has been unable to drive since her symptoms began, almost 10 years ago, and now wears an eye patch to help control her vision and nystagmus.
She also lost control over her left leg, which mostly drags, when she is able to walk, about 10 feet at a time, usually with a cane. Otherwise, most tasks require a wheelchair. And a driver.
She wants to have so many more opportunities to be involved in her children’s' young lives. She wants to take them places on spring break, run around playing with them, and jump on the trampoline with them.
She can't go anywhere on her own. She needs a driver. She can't visit family or friends, unless they come to her. The effect of the MS on her cognitive functioning is best described as a constant brain fog. She has lost her freedom and is held hostage by multiple sclerosis.
Don't get me wrong. This is the bleeding heart of her sister trying to imagine the unimaginable life she lives and wanting to give her every chance in the world for more. I admire her family, her relationship with her husband, and her commitment to battling this incurable disease. Their life is full. and happy. and organized. and loving. She doesn't complain about her strict diet, loss of support from those she exhausted so much support to before her flare up, the medical bills, the cost and need for a housekeeper/driver, or the seeming-less lack of medicinal hope for her situation. They have adapted their entire life around her MS and stay positive, making the most of their life. They live a wonderful life and do a great job and I am so thankful for the family and support she has at home. Their life could be more free and more fulfilling. This is that chance. I’m sure many of you know someone with MS who is still able to work and to walk and to drive. I do. I want her to find that treatment that gives her some freedom back.
Saying all of this, you can assume they were pretty private about the treatment they were seeking and it’s cost. My family and I have collected money and donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through Walk MS and Amazon Smile in the past years. I want to donate to her personal cause now. I believe it will help the MS society too. The more people that get this treatment, show improvements, and allow for data and research to be collected, the quicker this treatment will be recognized and offered more widely, and, hey, maybe one day, be somewhat covered by insurance. I am happy to now have my sister’s and her husband’s blessing in raising money for her chance at a fuller and longer life.
One of the pictures that I chose, was actually chosen by my sister in a way. She showed me this image of birds flying free from a feather. She said that she feels like it represents this treatment giving her an escape from the bounds of multiple sclerosis. She could truly feel set free.
The videos that I have shared were taken to document her current state and abilities before the treatment. We are hoping for very improved videos in just a few months!
I am happy to answer additional questions and I will provide updates every step of the way. I appreciate any support that you can provide in donations and sharing of our story and need. Every little donation will help to make this “dream” a reality and maybe give a better quality of life to my sister, her husband, her children, her family, and her friends. I am so very excited to go on this journey with her. Thank you for your time and consideration. Donations can be useful now and in the future, for the initial treatment in June (which will take every penny of our goal) and the follow up care that will continue for at least one year. Please share our story widely!
For more information on multiple sclerosis, visit the website .
For more information on this MS treatment, visit this link.
My older sister, by 16 months, started showing symptoms after having her first child. Things like extreme fatigue and tingling in her extremities. Her symptoms seemed to subside during her second pregnancy, but shortly after, her symptoms became debilitating. It was chaos. She lost control over her muscles and joints. Fatigue played a huge toll on her body. Oh, and remember, she had a newborn, a two-year-old, and an older stepson. She was having a full-blown flare up. She and her husband sought medical attention and found out that she had relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Diagnosed at the age of 28. After 2 years undiagnosed. The MRI revealed a significant number of lesions on her brain. Her inferior field of vision created eye problems, later followed by loss of control of her eye muscles. She has been unable to drive since her symptoms began, almost 10 years ago, and now wears an eye patch to help control her vision and nystagmus.
She also lost control over her left leg, which mostly drags, when she is able to walk, about 10 feet at a time, usually with a cane. Otherwise, most tasks require a wheelchair. And a driver.
She wants to have so many more opportunities to be involved in her children’s' young lives. She wants to take them places on spring break, run around playing with them, and jump on the trampoline with them.
She can't go anywhere on her own. She needs a driver. She can't visit family or friends, unless they come to her. The effect of the MS on her cognitive functioning is best described as a constant brain fog. She has lost her freedom and is held hostage by multiple sclerosis.
Don't get me wrong. This is the bleeding heart of her sister trying to imagine the unimaginable life she lives and wanting to give her every chance in the world for more. I admire her family, her relationship with her husband, and her commitment to battling this incurable disease. Their life is full. and happy. and organized. and loving. She doesn't complain about her strict diet, loss of support from those she exhausted so much support to before her flare up, the medical bills, the cost and need for a housekeeper/driver, or the seeming-less lack of medicinal hope for her situation. They have adapted their entire life around her MS and stay positive, making the most of their life. They live a wonderful life and do a great job and I am so thankful for the family and support she has at home. Their life could be more free and more fulfilling. This is that chance. I’m sure many of you know someone with MS who is still able to work and to walk and to drive. I do. I want her to find that treatment that gives her some freedom back.
Saying all of this, you can assume they were pretty private about the treatment they were seeking and it’s cost. My family and I have collected money and donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through Walk MS and Amazon Smile in the past years. I want to donate to her personal cause now. I believe it will help the MS society too. The more people that get this treatment, show improvements, and allow for data and research to be collected, the quicker this treatment will be recognized and offered more widely, and, hey, maybe one day, be somewhat covered by insurance. I am happy to now have my sister’s and her husband’s blessing in raising money for her chance at a fuller and longer life.
One of the pictures that I chose, was actually chosen by my sister in a way. She showed me this image of birds flying free from a feather. She said that she feels like it represents this treatment giving her an escape from the bounds of multiple sclerosis. She could truly feel set free.
The videos that I have shared were taken to document her current state and abilities before the treatment. We are hoping for very improved videos in just a few months!
I am happy to answer additional questions and I will provide updates every step of the way. I appreciate any support that you can provide in donations and sharing of our story and need. Every little donation will help to make this “dream” a reality and maybe give a better quality of life to my sister, her husband, her children, her family, and her friends. I am so very excited to go on this journey with her. Thank you for your time and consideration. Donations can be useful now and in the future, for the initial treatment in June (which will take every penny of our goal) and the follow up care that will continue for at least one year. Please share our story widely!
For more information on multiple sclerosis, visit the website .
For more information on this MS treatment, visit this link.
Organizer and beneficiary
Ariel DeBusk
Organizer
Columbus, IN
Curtis Ward
Beneficiary