Support Marisa (Stauffer) Matthews’ Fight for Her Life

Support Marisa (Stauffer) Matthews’ Fight for Her Life

In December of 2023, my niece Marisa (Stauffer) Matthews (43), a loving wife, daughter, and mother of 4 beautiful children (Dom, Nick, Bella and Camden), of Plum Boro, PA, started to become ill. The pain began in her legs and lower back and then proceeded to move through her whole body. She now has over 30 symptoms, a few of which include excruciating pain in her legs (specifically her right leg), muscle atrophy, polyneuropathy, significant hair loss, unintentional weight loss, and recently has been diagnosed with gastroparesis, for which she has had to undergo a surgical procedure to cut a hole in her stomach with hopes that she will be able to eat a little again. The 24 hour a day debilitating pain has caused her to be bed bound and wheelchair dependent.

Before this all began, she was a devoted mother, the leader of a household of 6 (cooking/cleaning/managing kids affairs), actively running her family business, exercising daily, leading a Christian women’s group and serving others who were in need. But, since the onset of this terrible illness, she has been stripped of all these things and more, leaving her life shattered.

She has lost 30 pounds since this began, and because of her stomach paralysis she has been forced to live on TPN (tube feedings), which is the only thing that is sustaining her life. She is on multiple medications for pain and nausea, but nothing is treating or slowing down the disease. Little things like getting up in the morning to brush her teeth or using the restroom have become an absolute struggle because of the excruciating pain in her right leg which is periodically ice cold and turns reddish/purple upon standing. She has been to many specialists, has had multiple hospitalizations, including, but not limited to, many visits to Cleveland Clinic, extreme testing, 3 surgeries, CT scans, MRI’s, PET & Bone scans, abnormal muscle and skin biopsies, and genetic testing. Still, after all of this, the diagnosis of this horrific disease remains unknown, which is leading them to seek alternate therapies and care, most of which are not covered by insurance. Since conventional medicine has not been able to identify her disease, her family is pursuing an alternative approach, as well as still following up with my niece’s conventional care.

The expenses for medical care and travel alone have been insurmountable. The amount of medical bills has taken a toll on their family. We are seeking help for Marisa to continue her treatment and cover the mounting medical bills and upcoming appointments, some of which are out of state.

This journey has been emotionally and financially overwhelming for her family. Marisa has been unable to work for the past year and a half, and her husband was recently approved for FMLA to care for her daily, however, that is unpaid. With no clear answers and no end in sight, we are seeking funds to raise for her alternative treatments, travel expenses, household bills, and other financial needs in this difficult time. THEY WOULD ALSO BE OPEN TO NAMES/NUMBERS OF ANY DOCTORS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO HELP SHED LIGHT ON, AND/OR DIAGNOSE THIS ILLNESS.

Marisa is one special person that doesn’t deserve to have this happen to her and she just wants to get back to being a wife and mother again to see her children grow.

Thank you so very much in advance for your consideration to help save this loving mother of 4, beautiful wife, and daughter.

We realize many people cannot donate, but pray for answers and healing.

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God bless!