Help CJ Heal: A Family’s Fight to Reclaim Their Life

My name is April, and I’m sharing our story in the hope of finding support for my husband, CJ. For the past five years, CJ has been battling a complex health crisis that has left him housebound, in chronic pain, and unable to work.

We’re asking for help to give CJ the best possible chance at recovery. He’s in the middle of a critical treatment and relies on a carefully controlled mold-free environment — one we’ve worked hard to create through remediation and whole-home air-scrubbing. We’re prepared to sell our home if necessary — but relocating at this stage would be a major setback. The interruption to treatment, combined with the logistical challenges of starting over and the extensive work needed to make a new space safe, would significantly disrupt his progress.

To keep CJ moving forward, we’re trying to raise $150,000 to cover the cost of his heavy metal chelation therapy and ongoing medical needs — so he can continue healing in a stable environment and have a realistic shot at reclaiming his life.

CJ has already lost so much — his relationships with friends and family, his business, and the activities he once loved: running, cycling, soccer. He’s missed out on so many precious moments in our daughter’s life over the past five years. Anyone who knows him knows how many birthdays, holidays, and special occasions he hasn’t been able to take part in. Even having visitors at home is nearly impossible because of how unwell he feels each day. What’s happening to CJ is heartbreaking. This story was incredibly difficult to write and share — but I’ll be at peace knowing that we tried everything and gave him the best chance to heal.

The positive part of all this is that CJ sees a clearer path forward. Chelation offers the opportunity to see what kind of life he can regain — and what limitations, if any, might remain. While multiple neurosurgeons have told him his nerve damage is permanent, we are determined to move forward with this treatment, knowing it’s our best chance for recovery.

CJ’s Health Crisis

CJ is a devoted father to our 7-year-old daughter, Audrey, and my partner of 15 years. The version of CJ she knows is not the person he was before all of this. He suffers from severe nerve pain in both feet — constant burning and twitching — which affects his ability to walk. He requires continuous foot ice baths and heavy medication just to stand or complete basic tasks around the house. This pain also disrupts his sleep, making rest and recovery an ongoing struggle that he navigates daily.

In addition, CJ experiences neurological symptoms that affect his left arm — he regularly loses sensation and drops objects. During these periods, he also suffers from heart and breathing irregularities. Most concerning are the daily neurological crashes that leave him unable to speak or process information, accompanied by debilitating chronic fatigue. These episodes come on without warning, making it impossible for him to leave the house, engage in family life, or maintain any kind of job.

For 20 years, CJ was self-employed renovating homes, but in 2020, his symptoms forced him to step away from work. He was bedridden for four months. After multiple tests and appointments, the only diagnosis he received was “permanent nerve damage” — and that he would need to manage the pain for life. We were also told that nerve damage alone wasn’t enough to qualify for disability, as it can’t be definitively proven.

To attempt something less physically demanding, CJ took on a project management role. He relied heavily on strong medications to get through each day, but eventually, his symptoms became too severe, and he had to stop working. He spent the next 18 months unable to work. Despite desperately needing to rest and focus on healing, the lack of disability support left him no choice but to try working again. He later took on a sales job, doing everything he could to push through — but his body couldn’t keep up, and once again, he had to stop.

The Root Cause: Heavy Metal Toxicity

After exhausting all conventional medical options and initially believing mold illness was the primary issue, we finally discovered the root cause: heavy metal toxicity — specifically from mercury fillings and MRI gadolinium contrast dye. Heavy metals like these can leach into tissue and bone marrow, penetrate the blood-brain barrier, and cause widespread neurological and systemic damage.

We now understand that heavy metal chelation is the way for CJ to regain his health. CJ needs to take chelators to remove these metals from his body — but unfortunately, the treatment is not covered by insurance. This treatment has shown the most promise, however a full course is upwards of $75,000.

Chelation is not a quick fix — it’s a complex, highly individualized process. These metals are extremely toxic, and the body must release them slowly to avoid overwhelming the system. Mercury, in particular, must be carefully pulled through tissues and the blood brain barrier, while gadolinium accumulates in the bone marrow and requires a deep, prolonged detox. These metals disrupt the body’s biochemistry, triggering oxidative stress, damaging cells and DNA, and ultimately weakening the immune system. That breakdown is what allowed mold illness to take hold and further compound CJ’s condition.

Mold Illness (Biotoxin Illness)

In 2023, a naturopathic doctor who specializes in chronically ill patients, discovered dangerously high mold levels in CJ’s system. We had our home thoroughly tested by a reputable mold inspection company — thankfully, no alarming mold was found. However, because mold spores are commonly found in household dust, we were advised to follow an extensive remediation protocol to help alleviate his symptoms. This included soaking all of our possessions in ammonia, storing them in sealed Rubbermaid bins, investing in air-scrubbing machines and purifiers for every room, and maintaining a dust-free environment as much as possible.

We’ve learned that CJ would likely be sensitive to 80% of homes in our B.C. climate due to his current state. The air purification and deep-cleaning efforts we’ve done at home have helped reduce his mold load — but keeping this environment stable has been critical to his ongoing recovery.

For the past 2 years, CJ’s detox protocol has included binders, antifungal medications, sauna niacin sessions, and an extensive supplement regimen. The sauna treatments, combined with niacin, mobilize toxins for elimination — niacin increases blood flow, making toxins more accessible, but it also causes intense flushing, heat, discomfort, and fatigue.

His supplements are essential to prevent depletion of vital vitamins and minerals during detox. This process is incredibly taxing on the body, and without the right support, nutrient loss could lead to dangerous complications. Together, these treatments cost upwards of $3,000 per month.

Why We’re Asking for Help

I work as a secondary school teacher, but managing our household and CJ’s care on one income has become nearly impossible. Over the years, we’ve leaned on family, sold our investment condo, borrowed against our home, and maxed out our credit – all just to keep up with living expenses and pay for CJ’s ongoing medical needs.

We’ve run out of time and resources — and now we’re facing the heartbreaking decision of selling our home and seeking a rental to fund CJ’s treatment. But staying here would allow him to continue chelation without interruption, avoiding the intense disruption and health risks that a move into a rental would bring. We’re trying to raise $150,000 to give CJ a real chance at healing and reclaiming his life — without losing the stability that makes that possible.

Your Support Will Help Us:

We know everyone is carrying their own burdens — but if you’ve taken the time to read this, thank you. Whether you’re able to contribute, share our story, or simply hold us in your thoughts, it means the world. This is one of the hardest things we’ve ever had to do, but we’re doing everything we can to give CJ the opportunity to fully heal and reclaim his life — and for Audrey to know her dad as he truly is.

With love and gratitude,

April, CJ, and Audrey