Hi, we are Stephen + Cher Dombowsky (along with friends Jay, Darci, and many more), and we are proudly raising funds to help our friend Chey Craik reach a big goal for a life-changing cause.

Chey is big—not only in size but more importantly in heart, character, and integrity. You may or may not know that Chey has been battling MS since 2014, fighting silently for years. But the fight has gotten harder, and he needs our help.

If you know Chey, you know how much he cares for and invests in his friends, family, and community. Now it's our turn to fight for him

Here is Chey's Story in his own words:

They say hindsight is 20/20. My MS journey began in 2014 when I first noticed something was off. The symptoms disappeared after a few weeks, so I brushed it off.

When they returned in 2015, I saw my family doctor and requested a referral to a neurologist and a CT scan. Months later, the neurologist suggested my symptoms were stress-related and “just in my head.” When I heard nothing back following the CT, I assumed I should just push through.

The symptoms kept returning - and I kept being dismissed.

In 2017, I experienced severe vertigo and instability. While building our house, I lost my footing carrying subfloor—something I’d done countless times. Throughout the next year, these issues persisted and disappeared repeatedly.

By 2019, I mis-stepped while building our back deck and broke my forearm. I thought: that shouldn’t have happened. My walking stamina had noticeably decreased—I could only manage about an hour before needing rest.

Then 2021 hit, and everything changed.

Multiple symptoms appeared that I could no longer ignore. I insisted on more testing. My doctor referred me to a rheumatologist and ordered another CT scan. After my March 2022 appointment, the rheumatologist called: all his tests were fine, but I should contact my doctor immediately—“it didn’t look good.”

Days later, my doctor called with preliminary CT results: lesions on my brain with changes since 2016. Multiple Sclerosis was likely.

I walked through the door and told my wife.

We cried.

The neurologist I saw in 2016 reprimanded me for not following up (I was never contacted), told me I had no “active lesions,” and said to return during my next attack for steroids. No treatment plan. No support.

This is the moment I realized we need to be advocates for our own health, I immediately requested a different neurologist.

My current neurologist had a clear plan from our initial meeting, recommending Ocrevus—the highest-level disease-modifying treatment (DMT)—because my lesions were already “innumerable.” She was astonished I was still functioning so well. As hard as that moment was, we recognized I’d had a Hand of protection and were grateful I could still work and live relatively normally.

I wasn’t going to wait for the disease to win.

In May 2022, I saw a naturopathic doctor and completely overhauled my diet. I lost nearly 60 pounds. In March 2024, I started a program through the Restorative Health Center in Moose Jaw—my stamina improved dramatically by summer, allowing me to enjoy my daughter’s high school graduation and participate in a family vacation.

I’ve had MRI scans every six months since 2022. While no new lesions have appeared, the disease has still progressed despite immediate DMT treatment and lifestyle changes. I receive infusions every five months. Heat sensitivity is my biggest trigger, and my stamina declines noticeably throughout each day—mornings are best, evenings are worst, with varying degrees throughout the day that affect my balance and stability.

In October 2025, I asked if there were other options. I was told “this is the best we could hope for” and that progression is natural. I pushed for a second opinion and referral to the MS clinic in Saskatoon. The third neurologist echoed the same treatment approach.

Then came startling news: in Saskatchewan, Ocrevus is no longer covered if I end up in a wheelchair. Our healthcare covers an estimated $41,000 annually in my treatment—but only while I remain ambulatory (able to walk 100 meters unassisted with an EDSS score of 5.5 or less). My current score is 4.5. I can still work, but I’m watching the line I’m approaching.

I feel the pain—physically and emotionally—as I grieve the way life used to be. I see it on the faces of my wife, our children, family, and friends. Frustration is evident even when I try to hide it.

My wife and kids have been instrumental in everything I do. Friends have helped with projects large and small that I wouldn’t have thought twice about tackling myself before. For this, I am truly thankful.

But I refuse to accept that decline is inevitable.

After months of research, phone consultations, papers, articles, videos, and prayers, I’m led to aHSCT (autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) to offer the greatest chance of halting this disease. Clinica Ruiz in Mexico has an established track record with MS patients.

In faith, I’ve booked my treatment for May 25, 2026.

Here’s what we need:

∙ aHSCT treatment, lodging, and meals: ~$81,000

∙ Lost income during 2-6 month recovery: ~$9,000

∙ Total goal: $90,000

∙ Payment deadline: March 24, 2026

I run Steel Wheels Consulting, providing railroad regulatory and industrial safety training across Western Canada. This disease is threatening my ability to continue the work I love and provide for my family. While there is no cure for MS, aHSCT offers real hope to stop progression entirely.

Will you help us reach our goal?

Every contribution brings us closer to this treatment and the chance at halting MS in its tracks. Whether you can give $10 or $1,000, your support means everything. If you can’t contribute financially, sharing this campaign helps immensely.

Thank you for standing with us in this fight.

- Chey