Help Adam Beat ALS!

Hi everyone! We are friends of the Kesters. We are trying to help raise money to cover medical expenses for Adam's fight for the next 12 months. Adam is a great person with a huge heart. He would do anything for his friends and family. The treatments recommended for Adam are considered experimental; therefore, they are not covered by their insurance. These treatments aren't cheap but will be worth the investment. Thank you for reading through Adam's story below and considering donating to this wonderful family!

Jessica Werkmeister, Megan Jorgensen and Jennifer Sterner

Here is his story from Whitney:

In December of 2019, Adam noticed a slight difference in his left-hand function, mainly his pointer finger and thumb. A history of neck injuries and broken bones led us to believe the functional issues were related. In late June of 2020 we found ourselves in Rochester, Minnesota at the Mayo Clinic, staring down a rare ALS diagnosis at the age of 32. ALS or "Lou Gehrig's" disease is a progressive motor neuron disease that is as grim as it sounds. Doctors can't explain how or why this disease develops. I remember the young Mayo clinic doctor telling us that less than 10% of patients live for 10 years. Most succumb to ALS in 2-5 years. He wrote Adam a prescription for the only 2 drugs available to ALS patients, which involve extensive infusions for weeks at a time. The best results of this treatment would only extend life for a few extra months. Adam decided he'd rather be with the family over an infusion center. After we had time to take in the news, we decided that we couldn't just let the disease win without even trying to find answers.

That was over 2 years ago.

We're blessed and thankful for all the support and prayers and believe we're doing so well because of it. Adam's functional issues remain in his left arm and hand. This is always quite a surprise to anyone that knows ALS. He has drastically changed his diet, incorporated many supplements and therapies, consulted with many doctors, stayed active with the 4 kids and kept his faith. If you know Adam, his positive outlook and persistence are tremendous benefits. We believe the many efforts and attitudes have slowed the progression, but it continues to worsen. Through our research, we found a clinic in Miami that has had an impressive history of helping patients. Some patients have regained function and even halted the disease. Adam spent 3 weeks there in July, and it went well. Adam has not seen a lot of improvement yet, due to the amount of time taken to deteriorate the muscle and function in his left arm. With continued treatment to stop progression, he will eventually regain function and muscle mass. This clinic was a God send and we are very confident in the treatment plan for the future. ALS is by definition a symptom; therefore, it is caused by "something," and finding the driver is key. Infections, toxins, inflammation, autoimmune responses or a combination could be the culprits. The clinic plans to get to the bottom of it through testing, targeting and treating individual issues. Unfortunately, none of the clinical expenses are covered through insurance.

Our experience with the clinic for the first 3 weeks was well worth the investment. The clinic recommends another 2 week visit in September and another two in November and February. Some patients make quarterly trips, one to two weeks at a time. Exosome therapy [derived from mesenchymal (bone marrow)stem cells] has also been recommended along with his final 2 SOT therapies. Prices will be approaching 6 figures in medical expenses in the coming months.

We have been blessed with good jobs and generous friends and family to get us this far. Prior to the clinic, we had a rough time accepting goodwill donations, knowing our efforts may not have been helping. We believe in this clinic. Adam is so close. A nurse at the clinic told Adam that he's in the best condition they'd seen 2 years post-diagnosis.

Since the diagnosis, we've certainly leaned on our faith more than ever. There is a reason we found our path, and we would graciously appreciate your support. More importantly, please keep the family in your prayers and keep the faith.

Here is a link to the clinic. Check out the success stories!

https://bodyscience.life