Send Barbara to Boston for ALS Trial
Donation protected
Help Barbara Fight ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) – Donations needed for Travel to Clinical Trial
Let me introduce you to Barbara Olsen Winne. She’s a 56 year old vibrant, active, always smiling & cheerful, energetic, adventurous, caring friend, sister, mother and grandmother. She’s never met an enemy, loves her 3 kids and 3 grandchildren tremendously, is an awesome friend and sister, and driven. Well, she was all that and more until about 16 months ago when her health started declining. Actually she is still all of that except that ALS, a diagnosis that took a year to finally receive, has stolen her energy, her vibrancy, her adventuresome spirit, and active lifestyle. Unfortunately, it will steal her life too, unless she receives a miracle. (Photo: Taken at UMass, 3/19)
For those of you who believe that Jesus can heal Barbara, please be in agreement with us, because she needs a miracle. For those of you who believe in healing in a more scientific way, you may agree she needs healing through modern medicine. Well, remember I mentioned that Barbara was driven? She still is. Even though she is no longer running 5K’s, working out in the mornings at the gym, swimming in the pool, or chasing her grandchildren around, she has used her driven, tenacious spirit to search for a beneficial treatment for ALS. While the ALS community in the US says they are still searching for the cure or a treatment that decreases the rate of decline, there are documented studies in Israel showing a treatment that adds many more years to those suffering from this hideous disease. This is hopeful and that is what Barbara is living for – hope and a miracle – so she can play with her beloved grandchildren again. That is what she wants more than anything, that and to see her son marry, and to move around like the rest of us, without assistance or depending on others... and to LIVE! (Photo of Barbara's treasured grandkids)
THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN HELP! SHE NEEDS DONATIONS. Barbara has found a trial being done at the University of Massachusetts. Since the treatment has not been approved by the FDA, they have to run the trial as a 50/50. This means that 50% of those in the trial will receive the treatment – repeated dosing of NurOwn®, a type of cell derived from her own bone marrow (the stem cells containing fluid inside bones) which are treated in the lab, and put back into the fluid that surrounds her spinal cord. The cells are made to release chemicals to support the nervous system and have little to no side effects… except positive ones. The other 50% receive a placebo, so nothing is certain, but she wants to give it a try! Wouldn’t you, if it was your only chance?
(Photo of treatment center at UMass)
While she doesn’t have to pay for the doctors visits, or the treatment, the expenses are still high. She has to go to Boston monthly for 14 months on her own dime. She is a single woman who has had to leave her job due to the dreaded symptoms. Believe me when I say every donation will count. Contributions will go towards airfare, not just for her, but for her friend who is her helpful companion (a Godsend!) because she can no longer travel without assistance, her hotel bills, food, travel to and from airport both ways, etc. In total, each trip costs between $1200 -$1500, depending on how many days she has to stay. Not only is this is a financial burden, it is also a burden to her body. These trips take their toll on her and she has lasting effects for days when she gets back home. Even with this, Barbara is determined to at least try to complete this trial. (Photo of Barbara and her children)
Can you help? Barbara's sister Chris and I both wanted to try this GoFundme to help her and we hope you'll help too. As her friend writing this, I'm not too ashamed to sincerely and urgently ask for your assistance to help Barbara get to U-Mass each month for this treatment. Every dollar helps! Please consider, pray, and think about if and what you can contribute. And please share this with your friends and family. Thank you so much for your consideration and thanks in advance for your donation. (Photo of Barbara, sister Chris and grandkids)
(Photo of Barbara and friend Nancy)
(Photo of Barbara after running 5K on the Parkway.)
(Photo of UMass in Boston)
Let me introduce you to Barbara Olsen Winne. She’s a 56 year old vibrant, active, always smiling & cheerful, energetic, adventurous, caring friend, sister, mother and grandmother. She’s never met an enemy, loves her 3 kids and 3 grandchildren tremendously, is an awesome friend and sister, and driven. Well, she was all that and more until about 16 months ago when her health started declining. Actually she is still all of that except that ALS, a diagnosis that took a year to finally receive, has stolen her energy, her vibrancy, her adventuresome spirit, and active lifestyle. Unfortunately, it will steal her life too, unless she receives a miracle. (Photo: Taken at UMass, 3/19)
For those of you who believe that Jesus can heal Barbara, please be in agreement with us, because she needs a miracle. For those of you who believe in healing in a more scientific way, you may agree she needs healing through modern medicine. Well, remember I mentioned that Barbara was driven? She still is. Even though she is no longer running 5K’s, working out in the mornings at the gym, swimming in the pool, or chasing her grandchildren around, she has used her driven, tenacious spirit to search for a beneficial treatment for ALS. While the ALS community in the US says they are still searching for the cure or a treatment that decreases the rate of decline, there are documented studies in Israel showing a treatment that adds many more years to those suffering from this hideous disease. This is hopeful and that is what Barbara is living for – hope and a miracle – so she can play with her beloved grandchildren again. That is what she wants more than anything, that and to see her son marry, and to move around like the rest of us, without assistance or depending on others... and to LIVE! (Photo of Barbara's treasured grandkids)
THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN HELP! SHE NEEDS DONATIONS. Barbara has found a trial being done at the University of Massachusetts. Since the treatment has not been approved by the FDA, they have to run the trial as a 50/50. This means that 50% of those in the trial will receive the treatment – repeated dosing of NurOwn®, a type of cell derived from her own bone marrow (the stem cells containing fluid inside bones) which are treated in the lab, and put back into the fluid that surrounds her spinal cord. The cells are made to release chemicals to support the nervous system and have little to no side effects… except positive ones. The other 50% receive a placebo, so nothing is certain, but she wants to give it a try! Wouldn’t you, if it was your only chance?
(Photo of treatment center at UMass)
While she doesn’t have to pay for the doctors visits, or the treatment, the expenses are still high. She has to go to Boston monthly for 14 months on her own dime. She is a single woman who has had to leave her job due to the dreaded symptoms. Believe me when I say every donation will count. Contributions will go towards airfare, not just for her, but for her friend who is her helpful companion (a Godsend!) because she can no longer travel without assistance, her hotel bills, food, travel to and from airport both ways, etc. In total, each trip costs between $1200 -$1500, depending on how many days she has to stay. Not only is this is a financial burden, it is also a burden to her body. These trips take their toll on her and she has lasting effects for days when she gets back home. Even with this, Barbara is determined to at least try to complete this trial. (Photo of Barbara and her children)
Can you help? Barbara's sister Chris and I both wanted to try this GoFundme to help her and we hope you'll help too. As her friend writing this, I'm not too ashamed to sincerely and urgently ask for your assistance to help Barbara get to U-Mass each month for this treatment. Every dollar helps! Please consider, pray, and think about if and what you can contribute. And please share this with your friends and family. Thank you so much for your consideration and thanks in advance for your donation. (Photo of Barbara, sister Chris and grandkids)
(Photo of Barbara and friend Nancy)(Photo of Barbara after running 5K on the Parkway.)(Photo of UMass in Boston)Organizer and beneficiary
Nancy Hickman Thompson
Organizer
Merritt Island, FL
Barbara Winne
Beneficiary
