Support Christina's fight with AA Amyloidosis

Hello everyone

We are creating this GoFundMe page for our mother Christina.

This is the last thing our family wanted to do, but if you know my mom you know that she deserves all the love & support that she can get.

Anyone who knows Christina knows she is a once-in-a-lifetime person with a heart of gold. She would do anything for anyone, especially the ones she loves, most importantly her three children and two grandchildren, She is a woman who is there for everyone day in and day out.

In October 2024, my mother was diagnosed with a very rare disease called AA Amyloidosis, which affects one in a million worldwide. AA amyloidosis, or secondary amyloidosis, is one type of the rare disorder amyloidosis. This disorder happens when proteins in your body mutate, changing form and gathering on your tissues and organs which lead to organ failure. AA amyloidosis happens when you have a chronic inflammatory condition or disease. This disease has caused my mother to have symptoms of extreme fatigue, dizziness & swelling. For our mother, this disease has impacted her kidneys tremendously and has caused her to go into Stage 5 Kidney Failure. Luckily it has not effected any of her other organs.

The road ahead is long and uncertain, but we are grateful for the advancements in research and treatment. Some of the treatments for Amyloidosis include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, Dialysis, and a Stem Cell Transplant.

We are currently in the works with getting a visit with a hospital in Boston that specializes in AA Amyloidosis.

they will do various tests in a four-day period. Her results will be sent to Mayo Clinic which is one of the leading centers for amyloidosis. These tests include a bone marrow biopsy, and extensive blood work. She will also begin dialysis three days a week, four hours a day within the next month.

The doctors are working to get her approved for immunotherapy treatment, although her insurance has been denying it we are praying that they can get it approved shortly or we will have to pay out of very costly pocket which for a full treatment course it can cost anywhere from 30,000- 40,000 dollars. She has gone for many tests trying to rule out what could be causing the inflammation in her body. She has met with multiple doctors at NYU, and Columbia Presbyterian. Due to the disease being so rare, they are still trying to come up with a medication/ treatment to help slow down the progression of the buildup of the protein. Unfortunately, my mother wouldn’t be able to get a kidney transplant until they can rule out the inflammation and help control/ treat the amyloid. If one of her children is a match, they are willing to donate their kidney but until then the doctors still need to rule out what is causing the inflammation and amyloids in her body.

As you can imagine, the costs associated with her treatment, travel, medical expenses, and time away from work are significant. To help ease the financial burden, we’ve set up a fund for those who wish to contribute. Any support—whether financial, through prayers, or by simply checking in—would mean so much to our family.

Our mother is our rock , her fight is our fight.

Thank You All for your love and prayers during this time.

Diana, Victor & Elayna.