Please Help Ilana Get Back On Her Feet

Hey everyone, my name is Alison Kirsch. I’m here to help one of my personal heroes, my friend, Ilana Kalish, afford essential equipment to rehabilitate her body after a spinal cord injury. I would love nothing more than to help lift her out of a very difficult situation, as she has done for me and many others over the years.

If you know my friend Ilana, you know she is a dancer, writer and music enthusiast who loves her kids as much as she loves to laugh. You also know that she is the kind of friend who loves unconditionally, listens with a careful ear and offers advice without judgment. She will come to the rescue and help you find your smile as she plays your favorite song.

Over the last few years, Ilana has been busy raising her two amazing girls, teaching elementary school with the most nurturing of attitudes and writing for Atwood Magazine. All while living with multiple sclerosis. Her motto, “It doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop”(Confucius) has served her well. So, for years, she wouldn’t let anything stop her. I’ve often been blown away by how brave, determined and optimistic she always is. To say I’ve learned a lot from her is putting it mildly.

Ilana was thriving until recently.

See, it wasn’t uncommon for Ilana to stumble and fall from time to time. She never wanted anyone to worry or to be a bother to anyone, so she would pick herself up and move on with her day. Occasionally, Ilana just couldn’t do it. After struggling, sometimes for 2 hours on the floor, trying her best to get up on her own, she needed to call on one of us (her “superheroes”) for help. As those calls became more frequent, it seemed Ilana’s condition quickly worsened.

She was terrified that her MS was getting worse.

However, after a battery of tests, her doctors made a shocking discovery. Ilana’s MS wasn’t the problem. While we were relieved that her MS was under control, it seemed there was a new issue at play. Ilana was suffering from Cervical Spinal Stenosis. A condition that, if left untreated, puts tremendous pressure on the nerves in her spinal cord. This would make it difficult for Ilana to use both her upper and lower body. It was a spinal cord injury that happened in slow motion. We had no idea that was even possible.

As dire as this new situation was, Ilana was still optimistic. With her MS under control, there was hope for a solution, and we held onto it.

After undergoing spinal surgery (laminectomy) and weeks of rehab, Ilana returned home, driven toward her goal of getting stronger every day.

But how?

Proper Tools and Procedures

With the help of her therapists, Ilana is constantly working to strengthen the connection between her brain and her muscles. After her surgery she could barely hold her head up, so walking was definitely far off. But as strenuous and frustrating as this process has been, she is slowly making progress and is driven to keep pushing ahead. And there’s a lot that needs to be done. But, there's a problem.

While insurance does cover PT/OT home visits once a week, Ilana’s current condition requires way more than that. After extensive research of the area’s physical therapy gyms, it became clear that it wouldn’t work. Not only were the PT gyms not equipped with the appropriate equipment, but the amount of time it would take to get her there vs. the amount of time allotted for Ilana to work out just didn’t add up to much progress. With specialized equipment available in her home, Ilana will actually be able to further strengthen her body and continue toward her ultimate goal of regaining mobility. But, of course, these types of machines are not covered by insurance.

This is why Ilana needs our help.

By donating to this fundraiser, you will be helping my friend Ilana, my superhero, get her life back. Let’s come to Ilana’s rescue. The world is a more beautiful and happy place with her in it.

Thank you, in advance, for any and all help.

Alison Kirsch