Hi, my name is Roneal Lingam, and I’m 40 years old. In 2018 I was officially diagnosed with a rare and progressive condition called SCA3 (Machado Joseph’s Disease). Each day, I can feel my body getting weaker — my balance is fading, and I fall often — but I refuse to let this disease define me. This condition runs in my family — I’ve already lost my grandmother, my mother, and my aunt to it, and two of my older cousins in Australia are currently battling the same disease. My children also have a 50% chance of inheriting it, which makes finding treatment even more urgent and meaningful.

I’m a husband and a proud father to two amazing kids, ages 13 and 7. They are my reason for fighting every single day. I want to be there to watch them grow up, to walk beside them, and to keep being the dad they know never gives up.

If you know me, you know that hard work and determination have always been my way of life. Even now, when simple tasks are a struggle, I keep pushing forward.

There’s a treatment that offers hope — stem cell therapy in Mexico. It’s not a guaranteed cure, but it may slow down the progression of SCA3 and possibly even reverse some of its effects. The treatment requires several sessions every nine months, but right now, I’m trying to raise enough for my first treatment to give me a fighting chance.

I know times are tough for everyone, but if you can find it in your heart to help, any amount — big or small — would mean the world to me and my family. Your support could give me the opportunity to hold on to my strength, my independence, and most importantly, more precious time with my wife and kids.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading my story and helping me continue this fight. I’m not giving up — not now, not ever.

With love and gratitude,

Roneal Lingam