Please Help Mario Christou Beat MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an incurable disabling autoimmune disease damaging the central nervous system. Only 0.02% of people worldwide have been diagnosed with this disease to date.
For as long as I can remember I always imagined myself being a young dad, that provided and nurtured his family.
In 2013 my partner Georgette was pregnant to our first born Marissa and I knew one thing was for sure, that I wanted to give my child a bright future, a future with opportunities. For that reason we made the massive decision to move across the world from Cyprus to Australia, leaving behind relatives and friends.
Not long after arriving to our new beautiful country we found work and slowly we started to build a life that we had once dreamt of.
I worked hard to ensure I didn’t waste anytime fulfilling our families dream.
But one day it all changed…
One morning as I got ready to go to work I was unable to move freely. The left side of my body was numb. Without hesitation I called my Doctor and he referred me to a Neurologist.
My diagnosis
You have MS…
With those words, my world came crushing down. How will I do anything with this crippling disease? How will I work and provide for my family? How will I raise children Marissa & Angelo? How will I fulfil my dreams? An endless list of how will I? was going off in my head like alarm bells. My life as I knew it had changed forever.
The fear of what the future holds alone was crippling. Every morning thereafter was like I was waiting for another episode to take away my ability to truly live. I can’t live like this anymore, fearing that MS will take away my ability to walk and basically live an able life with my family.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for MS in Russia, is delivering the best results to date. Stopping progression of the disease @ an 85% success rate.
It is extremely unfortunate that this treatment, is only available in Australia for MS patients with a strict criteria, once the disease has actually resulted in significant unrepairable damage.
With the support of family & friends, I am prepared to try HSCT. I for one will not sit back waiting and wondering what tomorrow may bring in the form of disability.
Russia here I come.
