Stephanie's Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Fund

My name is Marcela Carmona and I am starting this GoFundMe on behalf of my 17 year old niece Stephanie. On December 2021, she tested positive for covid. Within a week she began feeling numbness on her legs. As the days went by her condition worsened and she lost the mobility to walk. After many studies, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on March 2022. MS is a chronic, progressive neurological autoimmune disease which affects the central nervous system. Her own immune system is attacking her brain and covering (myelin) around the spinal cord and nerves, causing deterioration of the nerves and may cause permanent damage.

Although some of her prior symptoms remain, such as pin and needles sensation, fatigue, daily burning sensation; she also discovered new symptoms when she has flare ups such as inability to walk and body weakness causing her to use a walker at times. This has been devastating news for her and our family as she endured agonizing pain, many sleepless nights, hospitalizations and physical therapy sessions to regain her strength and mobility.

Stephanie is a senior at Canutillo High School and is in several dual credit classes. After being diagnosed she was discouraged but still continued her studies even if it meant doing it from a hospital bed. As other seniors begin their plans to go to out of state universities, Stephanie will have to change her future career goals in attending law school and stay at home as she still is unfamiliar with her new diagnosis.

She will be visiting a multiple sclerosis neurologist to plan more treatments. Her disease has no cure but we are seeking possibilities of life changing treatments. I am making this GoFundMe to ask for help for my sister Gabriela who is a single parent to pay for medical bills and for help with the expenses of taking my niece Stephanie to an out of state hospital on June 2022 to seek the best possible treatment to slow down the relapses for this unexpected life long disease.

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause. It means so much to my family and me.