Help Jackie Get Through EDS & CCI Treatment

I am reaching out on behalf of my sister, Jackie Cowell, who was recently diagnosed with Cranio Cervical Instability, or CCI. This is partially a result of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a rare hereditary condition she has that can result in hypermobility. CCI is a structural instability of the point where the skull meets the spinal cord. The extent of Jackie’s CCI is severe. For reference, typical movement of the skull on the spinal cord is less than 1 millimeter. Jackie has 15 millimeters of movement! This is causing her brainstem to be compressed (ouch!) and interrupting the flow of her cerebral spinal fluid. Several doctors have told Jackie that her condition is so severe that if she were to slip and her neck were to move too far in the wrong way, she could die. This was alarming for her to hear from the doctor, and alarming for us, her family, to hear when she passed on the news to us. As you can imagine, we’d like Jackie to be able to move forward with treatment as quickly as possible.

When she first heard the news, she was given 1 treatment option; a neurosurgery where they fuse the skull to the spinal cord. Scary. This was an overwhelming option, and it came with a 3 month bed rest recovery period in a hospital on the east coast. The next time she visited the doctor, she was told about a much less invasive treatment option called Prolo Therapy. What a relief! For Prolo Therapy they take stem cells from another area of her body and inject them into the ligaments in her neck with hopes that the ligaments will thicken and therefore become more supportive for her skull. Prolo Therapy is much less risky, less invasive, and comes with a shorter recovery period. She has decided to pursue Prolo Therapy as the first line of action. This comes with a ton of out of pocket costs at the minimum of $100,000. The treatment will take place in Florida. So, on top of the medical fees, she’ll have the costs of traveling to Florida a number of times.

This is an incredibly challenging time for Jackie. Over the past 15 years, she’s been determined to find the cause of her symptoms. She’s had pain, migraines, heart palpitations, dizziness, vertigo, memory problems, chronic fatigue, muscle spasms. Recently she found a doctor who was able to finally give a diagnosis. So, while it’s comforting to know there’s a remedy to her ailments, it’s also worrying to know she has to start these treatments. She needs all the support we can muster. Anyone who knows my sister, knows she gives her all to help support her clients. She’s passionate about helping others, and now she needs our help. Please join me in supporting Jackie as she goes through the mental, physical, and monetary exhaustion of receiving Prolo Therapy.

Contributions will go directly to fund Jackie’s medical bills, and to maintain daily life expenses during a time of financial stress. Please know that any amount you can contribute will be deeply appreciated and will help provide Jackie with the financial means to prioritize her health.

Thank you, Mia Cowell