On Tuesday, October 22, Paityn Castillo finished her first season on the Oak Forest High School volleyball team, excited for a break before heading back to club volleyball! Thursday she began noticing some stiffness and tingling in her legs. On Friday October 25, Paityn followed up with her pediatrician who sent her to Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn for additional testing due to increasing pain and weakness in her legs.

At the children’s hospital, Paityn’s symptoms progressed rapidly and she was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. GBS is a rare autoimmune response to an illness causing nerve damage. This nerve damage can cause weakness, numbness, and paralysis. Unfortunately, Paityn has experienced full body paralysis as a result of her GBS and is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit at the Children’s Hospital.

Paityn’s recovery is expected to be a long journey. Doctors are unable to give an exact timeline for her recovery, saying it could be months, a year, or even longer. This GoFundMe will help with mounting medical bills, lodging, transportation, and anything else the Castillo family may need while supporting Paityn!