This our small family, me with my wife Shu and our daughter Cassandra sitting on the fake chairlift at DIA. Life was going fairly well with Shu about to graduate with her RN nursing degree and Cassandra entering preschool. Then in June  Shu was diagnosed with an extremely rare incurable disease: Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO). It is an autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system, similar to multiple sclerosis. Each attack causes permanent nerve damage, eventually leading to paralysis and blindness. Shu had one serious attack this summer and was hospitalized. She has lost some feeling in her feet and legs (making stair climbing difficult) and, sorry to be too graphic, has extreme difficulty urinating and defecating. Unlike MS, only about  1 in 90,000 people in the US have NMO, so there really isn't much research for a cure or even an agreed upon treatment regimen. One pharamceutical which is supposed to help prevent future attacks is an injectible called Rituxin (also Rituximab).  This requires a 6 hour infusion four times a year, so far Shu has had two of these infusions and thank goodness our sparse health insurance has paid for the past two infusions, which is great becasue the per dose price is an obscene $24,000.  The for profit medical system in the US alows pharma companies to make over 1200% profit on this an many other drugs. The drug can be bought in other countries such as Thailand or China for $2000 a dose, so in the future we may have to travel elsewhere  for infusions if our insurance stops covering it.

Due to the uncertainty of the future coverage of the rituxin treatments and whether or not  Congress will allow health insurers to go back to the bad old days of denying people with pre-existing conditions,  we need to raise some money.

We are not just begging, this is a somewhat unique fundraiser so SHU CAN END NMO.
In December I and two other 50 year old friends are going to Mexico to attempt to climb Pico Orizaba, at
18, 491 feet /5636 meters, it is the third tallest mountain in North America. This was originally planned a year ago as a 50th birthday accomplishment, but Shu's medical condition has made the climb take on a much deeper significance.  I am humbly asking our friends to sponsor this climbing attempt by considering donating a penny per foot or per meter climbed or whatever amount you can spare. We will donate at least 51% of all proceeds to the Guthey-Jackson charitable foundation, (guthyjacksonfoundation.org) which is the only organization currently involved in NMO research and finding effective treatments and hopefully a cure.  
With your help, SHU CAN END NMO!
Stay tuned for updates from Mexico on the progress of the climb.

On December 6, 2016 I am happyppy to say I made the summit. If I can will my 50 year old body up there, SHU CAN END NMO. Thank you all.