It’s highly complex and an invisible disease to others. Extremely inflamed swollen and painful to the touch, the cartilage is being replaced with fibrous tissue. His hands don’t work properly as he drops things constantly. He shuffles his feet, the pain is so bad. His upper ears remain painful with inflammation—bright red—a classic symptom. He’s starting to lose his hearing and his trachea is so tight he’s constantly feeling hoarseness when he talks. His chest constricts in pain and he’s constantly worried about his heart. His abdomen and back feel stabbed by shooting pain, especially right after he eats. He lives with constant fatigue and malaise. He doesn’t sleep at night except for a few snippets of time now and then—until he’s abruptly awakened by pain once again. These are just a few of his symptoms.

He is a victim of the progressive and aggressive, potentially life-threatening, debilitating, autoimmune disease called Relapsing Polychondritis (RP).

I’m Dianna Sells of Round Rock, Texas, mother of John Ryan Collins of Edmond, Oklahoma. I’m fundraising for my son, John, age 50, who needs treatment for this very rare, debilitating autoimmune disease that can only be found by seeking it out through long-distance travel to team clinics outside of the state of Oklahoma.

Your support will cover John’s needs while traveling, including but not exclusively cost of travel, food, and motel expenses to RP specialty clinics around the United States, as well as his medical expenses, including treatments and medications for his disease, and other unforeseen needs as they arise.

A bit of background: John has had excruciating, widespread pain 24/7 hours a day for the past seven (7) years, as he’s tried to raise his two young children Wyatt and Ellie and struggled to keep food on the table. Due to RP breaking down his system, this once marathon cyclist has now dwindled 40 lbs and lost his muscle tone and mass. He’s tried for disability and has been turned down. He can no longer work. He’s spent the past seven (7) years without work, hunting down a diagnosis for this very rare disease. Even most doctors have not heard of it, much less judges in disability cases. John has fought hard to overcome his disease morning and night for 7 years: with no diagnosis, he’s held on for his children, now ages 13 and 11, only recently to discover how truly severe and potentially life-threatening RP can be.

He’s only been diagnosed accurately in the past year as his very rare disease—Relapsing Polychondritis (RP)—has begun to more aggressively progress.

Relapsing Polychondritis (RP) is a severe chronic autoimmune disease that is extremely painful, debilitating, and potentially life-threatening, in which cartilage throughout the body becomes inflamed and breaks down over time. It is found in 4 out of every million people. This potentially fatal disease can affect any part of the body where cartilage is present, including the ears, nose, airways, joints, eyes, skin, heart valves, and brain.

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) causes a systemic inflammatory response that can be fatal without proper care and treatment. RP can affect multiple organs in the body; however, it primarily affects the cartilaginous structures in the ears, nose, airways, and joints. It can also affect the eyes, skin, heart valves, and brain.

Treatment for RP is currently focused on relieving symptoms and preserving the affected cartilage. RP is a rare and complex condition that requires a team approach to patient care. No clinical teams that specialize in RP exist in Oklahoma. John will need to travel to find treatment.

Please donate to this fundraiser and share it to reach a wider audience, asking them for their support to help John Collins fight this rare and painful and potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease. Any amount you give will be helpful.

John is a strong Christian, so we also ask and appreciate your prayers for John for relief from his painful symptoms so he can be there for his children as he continues to seek treatment and relief from his pain.