Help Narelle beat MS
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Hi and thanks so much for visiting Narelle's crowdfunding site. We've nearly reached the target!
Narelle wanted to let you know she's postponed the Mexico trip she was crowdfunding for, while she undergoes treatment to get her to the point where she can travel. Unforuntely she had to go off her normal medication before undergoing treatment, which has seen her condition worsen considerably. But she still plans to go and is more determined than ever to do whatever she can to beat MS. She's been in contact with the medical personsel in Mexico and they've rescheduled her booking.
Thanks so much for your support.
Narelle's story
Anyone who knows Narelle DeGrauw will tell you about her positive nature, friendly character and gorgeous smile. Despite more than a decade battling the debilitating effects of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Narelle has earned a reputation for her positivity in the face of adversity. Yet, what many people don’t realise, and Narelle does her best to hide, is that she’s terrified.
Narelle is scared the incurable condition MS will eventually rob her of her independence, leaving her loving husband and kids with the responsibility of caring for an invalid wife and mum. While she hides it well, MS is stealing Narelle’s ability to walk, to see and to speak. She’s tried everything – western medicine, altered diet, new age trends, positive thinking and hour upon hour of yoga and meditation. She’s spent hours researching the condition looking for a glimmer of hope. And, recently, she’s found the hope she’s been looking for.
More and more MS sufferers are reporting incredible results from a form of stem cell therapy called Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT), which is not only halting the decline for MS sufferers but, in some cases, reversing it.
Narelle is desperate to give HSCT a go. But it’s not available in Australia. And to access treatment overseas, in Mexico, will cost her $50,000 that she doesn’t have.
While Narelle is mortified about asking for help, we, her friends, have told her she needs to push her pride aside and let her friends help her to receive this potentially lifesaving treatment. She believes she can scrimp, save and sell possessions to raise $20,000. But she needs another $30,000 to fund a three-month treatment at the world’s leading HSCT treatment centre in Mexico, to which she has already been accepted if she can raise the money. She's scheduled to go in December this year, provided she can raise the funds.
That’s why we’re asking you to help Narelle raise the money she needs to travel to Mexico for this potentially life-altering treatment.
What’s HSCT?
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) is not a new procedure – it has been used in cancer treatments since the 1960s, but it’s only more recently been applied to autoimmune conditions like MS. MS Research Australia describes it as such: “Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant used for MS is similar to the chemotherapy treatment used to treat blood cancers – chemotherapy is used to eliminate the immune system, and then the blood and immune system are restored, in this case, using the patient’s own (autologous) blood stem cells. The aim is to ‘re-boot’ the immune system so that the self-reactive immune cells that are attacking an individual’s nervous system are removed, and replaced with the regenerated immune system, which is thought to be more ‘self-tolerant’ and less likely to continue attacking the body.”
Why isn’t it available in Australia?
Despite many positive success stories, the treatment is yet to be ‘okayed’ by Australia’s rigorous and lengthy testing requirements.
How can you help?
You can make a donation direct on this crowdfunding site – every little bit helps. You may also wish to organise a fundraiser – something as simple as a girls’ night in where you swap the pub for someone’s home and donate the money you would have spent at the bar to this campaign. You may have other great fundraising ideas – every little bit helps.
Hi and thanks so much for visiting Narelle's crowdfunding site. We've nearly reached the target!
Narelle wanted to let you know she's postponed the Mexico trip she was crowdfunding for, while she undergoes treatment to get her to the point where she can travel. Unforuntely she had to go off her normal medication before undergoing treatment, which has seen her condition worsen considerably. But she still plans to go and is more determined than ever to do whatever she can to beat MS. She's been in contact with the medical personsel in Mexico and they've rescheduled her booking.
Thanks so much for your support.
Narelle's story
Anyone who knows Narelle DeGrauw will tell you about her positive nature, friendly character and gorgeous smile. Despite more than a decade battling the debilitating effects of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Narelle has earned a reputation for her positivity in the face of adversity. Yet, what many people don’t realise, and Narelle does her best to hide, is that she’s terrified.
Narelle is scared the incurable condition MS will eventually rob her of her independence, leaving her loving husband and kids with the responsibility of caring for an invalid wife and mum. While she hides it well, MS is stealing Narelle’s ability to walk, to see and to speak. She’s tried everything – western medicine, altered diet, new age trends, positive thinking and hour upon hour of yoga and meditation. She’s spent hours researching the condition looking for a glimmer of hope. And, recently, she’s found the hope she’s been looking for.
More and more MS sufferers are reporting incredible results from a form of stem cell therapy called Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT), which is not only halting the decline for MS sufferers but, in some cases, reversing it.
Narelle is desperate to give HSCT a go. But it’s not available in Australia. And to access treatment overseas, in Mexico, will cost her $50,000 that she doesn’t have.
While Narelle is mortified about asking for help, we, her friends, have told her she needs to push her pride aside and let her friends help her to receive this potentially lifesaving treatment. She believes she can scrimp, save and sell possessions to raise $20,000. But she needs another $30,000 to fund a three-month treatment at the world’s leading HSCT treatment centre in Mexico, to which she has already been accepted if she can raise the money. She's scheduled to go in December this year, provided she can raise the funds.
That’s why we’re asking you to help Narelle raise the money she needs to travel to Mexico for this potentially life-altering treatment.
What’s HSCT?
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) is not a new procedure – it has been used in cancer treatments since the 1960s, but it’s only more recently been applied to autoimmune conditions like MS. MS Research Australia describes it as such: “Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant used for MS is similar to the chemotherapy treatment used to treat blood cancers – chemotherapy is used to eliminate the immune system, and then the blood and immune system are restored, in this case, using the patient’s own (autologous) blood stem cells. The aim is to ‘re-boot’ the immune system so that the self-reactive immune cells that are attacking an individual’s nervous system are removed, and replaced with the regenerated immune system, which is thought to be more ‘self-tolerant’ and less likely to continue attacking the body.”
Why isn’t it available in Australia?
Despite many positive success stories, the treatment is yet to be ‘okayed’ by Australia’s rigorous and lengthy testing requirements.
How can you help?
You can make a donation direct on this crowdfunding site – every little bit helps. You may also wish to organise a fundraiser – something as simple as a girls’ night in where you swap the pub for someone’s home and donate the money you would have spent at the bar to this campaign. You may have other great fundraising ideas – every little bit helps.
Organizer
Narelle de Grauw
Organizer
Western
