<div>Just over a year ago, at age 16, Bodhi was attending college, volunteering with the SES, learning to drive, socialising and sleeping independently for the first time in his life.
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<div>Today, his mum has to physically bring food and water to him because his illness and overwhelming fear prevent him from reaching for it himself.
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<div>He is terrified of swallowing.
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<div>He is so frightened of choking that instead of swallowing his own saliva, he spits it out — over and over, all day.
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<div>Elizabeth helps him eat and drink.
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<div>She helps him shower, dress and manage toileting.
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<div>She talks him through constant and relentless fear and distress.
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<div>At night, she sleeps in his room because he needs her reassurance to feel safe enough to sleep.
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<div>She is beside him day in day out, they have been practically housebound for 14 months.
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<div>This is the reality of what has happened to Bodhi.
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<div>And his mum cannot keep doing this alone.
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<div>Just over a year ago, their lives looked completely different…
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<div>At 16, after years of challenges associated with autism, OCD and severe anxiety, Bodhi entered the best period of his life.
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<div>He was attending community college, volunteering with the local SES, learning to drive, socialising, and for the first time in his life, he was sleeping independently.
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<div>Elizabeth could finally see her son beginning to build a life of his own.
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<div>And after years devoted to caring for him, she was beginning to rebuild hers.
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<div>Then, at 17, everything collapsed.
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<div>His extreme fear of swallowing and choking returned with a severity Elizabeth had never seen before.
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<div>Eating and drinking became extremely limited.
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<div>College stopped.
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<div>SES stopped.
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<div>Driving stopped.
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<div>Socialising stopped.
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<div>His independence disappeared.
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<div>There have since been hospital presentations, dehydration and nutritional concerns, severe OCD and anxiety, extreme dysregulation and an extraordinary loss of function.
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<div>So what happened to Bodhi?
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<div>Bodhi’s medical team is now investigating and treating him in the context of PANS/PANDAS.
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<div>PANS/PANDAS describes an abrupt or dramatic onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with immune and, in some cases, infectious triggers.
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<div>For families experiencing it, those words on a page don’t begin to describe what it can look like.
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<div>For Bodhi, it has meant watching a young man who was beginning to participate in the world become completely dependent on his mother again.
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<div>Elizabeth has spent years trying to understand why.
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<div>She has pursued doctors, specialists, investigations and treatment protocols and spent an enormous amount of money — including an inheritance from her grandmother — trying to help her son.
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<div>Accessing specialised investigation and treatment in Australia has been extraordinarily difficult.
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<div>And the money has run out long before the options have.
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<div>Now there may be another pathway
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<div>Elizabeth has recently consulted with the head doctor of a specialist clinic in Mexico that treats complex cases such as Bodhi’s.
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<div>A family personally known to us travelled there with their teenage daughter, and I have personally witnessed the improvement she experienced following treatment.
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<div>After discussing Bodhi’s history directly with the doctor, Elizabeth came away feeling for the first time in a long time that there may be another avenue worth pursuing.
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<div>The clinic is now reviewing Bodhi’s extensive medical history and laboratory results.
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<div>Initial discussions indicate that treatment could involve approximately three to four weeks in Mexico, with treatment six days a week.
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<div>This will not be an easy undertaking.
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<div>Bodhi struggles enormously with unfamiliar environments and requires extensive support from Elizabeth. Taking him overseas for weeks of intensive treatment will be physically and emotionally demanding.
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<div>Elizabeth is already profoundly burnt out.
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<div>She cannot realistically do this alone.
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<div>Our hope is therefore to raise enough for a trusted support person to accompany them if treatment proceeds.
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<div>And Mexico isn’t the only expense
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<div>Bodhi currently needs approximately $10,000 of specialised dental treatment under general anaesthetic.
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<div>There are overseas laboratory investigations his family has been advised to pursue.
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<div>There are expensive clinician-guided treatments that could potentially be undertaken from Australia.
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<div>And if Mexico proceeds, there will be treatment costs, flights, accommodation, living expenses and the cost of maintaining things at home while they are away.
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<div>We are still waiting for the clinic’s formal treatment plan and final costs.
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<div>But we don’t want to wait until every dollar has been calculated before beginning to help.
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<div>Because Elizabeth has already spent almost everything she had getting Bodhi this far.
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<div>Who is Elizabeth?
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<div>I’ve known Elizabeth for more than 10 years.
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<div>She is normally the person helping everyone else.
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<div>When Bodhi became unable to attend school at nine, she became his full-time carer, advocate, researcher and safe person.
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<div>I have personally witnessed her extraordinary patience, intelligence and dedication.
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<div>I’ve watched her sacrifice her career, finances, freedom and enormous parts of her own life because her son needed her.
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<div>During this latest crisis, significant mould was discovered in Bodhi’s bedroom. His room had to be torn apart, remediated and completely rebuilt while Elizabeth simultaneously paid for alternative accommodation.
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<div>At the same time, Bodhi’s need for constant care meant she could no longer work.
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<div>She is now trying to support them on a carer’s payment.
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<div>She has carried this for an extraordinarily long time.
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<div>I don’t believe she can carry the next part alone.
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<div>What are we asking for?
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<div>We’re asking you to help give Bodhi options.
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<div>This fundraiser isn’t a promise that one treatment will cure him.
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<div>It’s something much more practical:
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<div>When a doctor recommends the next investigation or treatment, we want Elizabeth to be able to ask:
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<div>“Is this right for Bodhi?”
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<div>Instead of:
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<div>“How could I possibly afford it?”
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<div>Funds may contribute to:
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<div>• Specialist consultations and medical investigations
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<div>• Overseas laboratory testing
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<div>• Clinician-guided treatment
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<div>• Approximately $10,000 of dental treatment under general anaesthetic
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<div>• Potential treatment in Mexico
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<div>• Flights and accommodation for Bodhi, Elizabeth and a support person if required
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<div>• Living expenses while they are overseas
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<div>• Other medical and care needs as Bodhi’s treatment pathway develops
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<div>I pray this reaches the right people.
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<div>Because somewhere beyond our immediate circle may be someone who can help us get this young man to the next stage of care.
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<div>If you can donate, thank you.
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<div>If you can’t, please share Bodhi’s story.
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<div>Just over a year ago he was going to college, volunteering, learning to drive and beginning his adult life.
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<div>Today his mum helps him through every part of his day.
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<div>We want to help Bodhi get his life back.
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<div>And after watching Elizabeth carry him for so long, I want her to know that she doesn’t have to carry this next part alone. ❤️
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<div>I will keep this page updated as Bodhi’s treatment plan develops.
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Help Bodhi Get His Life Back From PANS PANDAS

Help Bodhi Get His Life Back From PANS PANDAS

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