Help raise money for the Callinan Family

Update:  Hi everyone, I know that this GoFundMe campaign was created to raise money for me having HSCT in Mexico. But now that I have been rejected and on palliative care, I have decided to use this campaign to raise money for my daughter, Erin, and my wife, Sam. To provide financial security in the difficult months and years ahead. The last two years have been very difficult for us as a family and I want to be able to do something for them before I die. Please help me create this security for my family and donate what you can, no matter now big or small, thank you. Perhaps my death and memorial can help others? Thank you guys, truly! 

In December 2019, I was diagnosed with (PPMS) Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and by March 2020 just a mere three months I had became bed bound and disabled! Unable to look after myself or my then three year old daughter!

For people who know little about the disease Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, it causes brain and nerve function to worsen. Symptoms do not go into remission then relapse like other forms out there. This is one of several forms that MS can take. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease. It causes the immune system, which usually defends the body against infection and disease, to instead target the protective myelin coating that covers the nerves. Around 15% of people with MS have primary progressive MS (PPMS).

All types of MS typically damage the (CNS) central nervous system. However, PPMS causes a distinct type of damage. It tends to cause fewer lesions on the brain and more lesions on the spinal cord, for example, compared with other forms of MS.

This happens and caused me to be paralysed and bed bound! As well as a number of issues like numbness, vision problems, muddled thoughts, fatigue, balance issues, speech issues, depression, paralysis, bowel issues to name just a few! The full list is endless and ever growing!

At first I was fine and like all humans felt I would have decades before it affected me. The most devastating part was the loss of mobility and being able to be the father I wanted to be to my then 3yr old! From always at the play parks, to throwing her around to now being confined to a bed, reliant on everyone, trapped in a failing body having to have my every move done for me. Choking and dribbling constantly, messing myself as no working bowels, needing to be constantly adjusted to get a form of comfortable and the duvet or cloths hurting like you have Shingles! All in all a horrendous existence that is slowly killing my partner!

I had researched everything before I became worse. Knowing where things would be heading. Things have gotten so bad for myself and my family that I now have to have carers come in 3 times a day to help wash me and help my partner clean the house and with my daughter.

As a last bid attempt to have a life, we have decided to do the most severe process of (HSCT) Haematopoietic stem cell treatment. The only treatment to halt MS progression! It is various chemotherapies to stop it in its tracks and in many cases can help lessen and even reverse the damage caused from the MS. Using your bodies own stem cells from the bone marrow to reset everything. The treatment takes on average 28 days to complete.

The treatment is on the NHS but the criteria is super strict and I do not qualify for it. I am looking to pay privately and go to Mexico. All I want is a normal life and to not be reliant on my other half or little girl. If it works, being over the moon and having my little girl back would be unimaginable! Taking away the current burden and become independent again! I’d be doing this whole process not just for me, but for them and a chance of normality!

I think the diagnosis was worse as there was no way I could fix anything and with how fast and acute the process has been! Becoming paralysed, losing all independence and mobility has been dreadful. With my daughter constantly asking when I’ll be better. After many months stating ‘Papa I don’t think it’s working, you aren’t getting better!’ With each new drug I took it hospital visit! She then stated she wants to be a Doctor to fix me! Which as a loving father truly destroys me, even now thinking of it, those words haunt me! My poor girl not able to understand the complexities of it all! I’m at my wits end and without this procedure I don’t think I’ll be seeing another year out!

I have researched all possibilities in a bid to help, trying various dietaries and natural ways, within my grasp. Hoping something would change with HSCT be there on the back burner due to the severity of it though as everything failed and I had no other option, it came to the forefront and now we are at where we are!

We’re asking for £100,000 to cover the procedure, travel, for a buffer in case things go wrong and to pay for physio when we are home. We are trying to raise some funds to help with the cost we are about to endure. Anything we get above this amount will be used to take our daughter to Disney Land or something like that.

I am hoping to get to Mexico as quickly as possible due to my constant and rapid decline! Obviously what funds we have will have to be paid towards at that time too. Anything left over will be used to treat our daughter as she’s had a horrible couple of years.

Thank you for all the support, no matter how small it may be! And thank you for reading this far into the story as well. Updates of my journey will be put here and done via blog too! Let’s hope all goes well and 2022 can and will be a better year!

UPDATE: Due to Luke no longer being able to have treatment and now on Palliative care. He’s asked for everyone to be made aware that all money will now go to his partner and daughter to help them rebuild after his death