Just sixteen weeks ago, Jennifer Kuzmowich could drive, read, help her children with homework, and train clients in her fitness studio. Today, she can see only shapes and shadows. Her life, and that of her family, has been turned upside down. This is why we, Jenn’s closest friends and family members, have come together to create this Go Fund Me page.
Jenn is a devoted mom, wife, small business owner, and internationally qualified bodybuilder. At 46, she went from running her business and caring for her family to suddenly losing ninety percent of her vision and her independence.
In July 2025, doctors at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto diagnosed Jenn with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare genetic condition that attacks the optic nerve and blocks central vision. She also carries a rare MT-ND1 mutation (3890G>A), which currently excludes her from most gene therapy trials worldwide for LHON patients.
There are no approved treatments in Canada. Jenn’s doctors have recommended Idebenone, a drug approved for LHON in Europe and the UK, which she must order from the US as a supplement at roughly $400 CAD per month. Her doctors recommend taking it for at least two years, though its effectiveness cannot be guaranteed.
Jenn and her family are also exploring a promising new therapy called Repetitive Transorbital Alternating Current Stimulation (rtACS), now in clinical trials at Stanford, Wills Eye Institute, and New York University. If she cannot access a trial in the US, she may need to travel to Germany for treatment, which will cost over $20,000 CAD for two weeks, including flights, hotels, meals, not to mention lost income for Jenn’s husband Derek, who has taken reduced-pay leave to care for her and their daughters.
Jenn and her family have tried their best to shoulder all the expense, but it has become an impossible and disheartening endeavour. Therefore, we, her support group, have made the necessary decision to ask for help.
.
What Jenn’s family has already covered:
$5,000+ – diagnostic testing and specialist appointments
$2,400+ – six-month supply of Idebenone
$1,000+ – specialized smart glasses for the blind
$2,000+ – travel to Toronto, Ottawa, and Sudbury for appointments
Lost income – Derek’s reduced-pay leave while caring for Jenn and their daughters.
Jenn and her family have already spent thousands of dollars before even accessing potential life changing therapies in the US or Germany.
Our Goal
Jenn and her family are looking to raise money to cover:
Specialized therapy in the US and/or Germany
Travel and accommodation for treatment.
Support for lost income and ongoing family needs
Medications, supplements, and ongoing care
Jenn has spent years helping others, inspiring people through her training and bodybuilding journey, and supporting others while living with multiple sclerosis. Now she needs our support.
In Jenn’s own words:
“I can’t understand why this has happened to me, but I have to believe it’s so I can help others with what I am going through.”
Every donation and every share bring her closer to the treatment she desperately needs. Even sharing this campaign could change Jenn’s future and the future of her family.
Let’s help Jenn keep fighting. She deserves our support.
Organizer and beneficiary
Joanna Coles
Organizer
Jennifer Kuzmowich
Beneficiary