Hi, I’m Chris. Twenty-three years ago, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. My mobility and general health have been on a steady decline from the age of 19. With your help, I’m headed to Puebla, Mexico to get “rebooted”. The MS Reboot, or HSCT, uses chemotherapy to completely wipe out my immune system. My own stem cells are then transplanted back into my body – thus “rebooting” my immune system, but without MS! This is a $55,000 procedure – not covered by insurance.
My MS Story
At 19, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. At that time, the left side of my body went numb, from my rib cage down to my knee. So my parents took me to the doctor, but after several tests, including a spinal tap and a brain MRI, they determined that it was indeed MS.
That was 23 years ago. Back then, my wife and I had just begun dating. In fact, I still have the emails of us discussing my numbness and what might be going on…
In my 20s, I was mostly able to hide the fact that I had MS. I would have 1-2 flare-ups a year but, thanks to mega-doses of steroids, I was able to bounce back to 90 to 95% of what I was before. These flare-ups would range anywhere from numbness, to fatigue, to vertigo and double-vision. But, I still graduated college and continued to date the girl of my dreams.
And soon after, we were engaged (on the beach!)
And the next year, we were married (on the beach!)
Into my 30s, came our two wonderful children, and my MS started to settle in for the long haul. I would no longer bounce back from a flare-up and MS was taking more-and-more of a toll on my body. My kids jokingly call me “wobbly” and I can no longer run or help them practice their basketball and soccer.
I’m now 42 and nearly in a wheelchair. I walk short distances with an arm crutch, and I wear a brace on my right foot because of footdrop.
Over the last 3 years, in particular, my mobility has been on an accelerated and steady decline. I fear that being bed-bound and in need of 24-hour care are not far away. But…there’s hope.
With your help, I’m headed to the Clinica Ruiz in Puebla, Mexico to get “rebooted.” The MS Reboot, or HSCT, uses chemotherapy to completely wipe out my immune system – essentially making my body “forget” it has MS. My own stem cells (collected and frozen in advance) are then transplanted back into my body – thus “rebooting” my immune system, without MS.
Believe me, if I can live the rest of my life just as I am today, that would mean the world to me. It’s now or never. It’s a leap of faith, and it’s worth it.
What is HSCT?
HSCT (or AHSCT) is a type of transplantation that uses the person's own stem cells particularly from peripheral blood.
These cells are collected in advance, stored at sub-zero temperatures, and returned at a later stage, after high dose chemotherapy or immunosupressive therapy.
This approach can stop the progression of the disease in most patients and prevent further decrease of their quality of life.
For more information:
Organiser
Chris Bryant
Organiser
Denton, TX