help Zach get stemcells to fight ms.

any money made above original goal will go towards more comprehensive treatment.

Hi Everyone,

My name is Zach Brown, and I’m staring down one of the toughest battles of my life right now.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a former competitive powerlifter, strongman, and student of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. (BJJ) I was also a union sheet metal worker, and, in my spare time, a voracious reader of all subjects.

Eight years ago, I started experiencing a pain in my eyes, followed by a partial face droop. I thought I’d had a small stroke, but doctors couldn’t find any evidence of one, and the problem eventually went away.

Then the weakness started in my leg. And then my arm. Eventually I had trouble walking, and found myself regularly needing to use a cane.

Still, I trained, adapting as best I could to my worsening condition, but pretty soon it was clear my days of competing were over, just after I took second place in the masters at Untamed Strength’s strongman competition in Sacramento.

After years of searching for answers and leaving doctor’s offices empty-handed, last year I was put in contact with some of the best neurology specialists at UCSF and was finally given a formal diagnosis: Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. (MS)

In a sense, finally knowing that what I had was MS was a relief, as most of the other possibilities were pretty horrific. The irony isn’t wasted on me, a mobility disease for someone who basically devoted his life to mobility is right out of a Twilight Zone episode, haha.

That said, the effects on my life have been pretty serious. I’ve started a regular series of immunosuppressive infusion therapies which has had limited effect so far.

Because of the on-again-off-again nature of my symptoms, there are days I’m almost back to normal, and other days I can barely get out of bed. I lost my job following my last prolonged medical leave, and am now struggling to get by.

I recently started school with the intention of moving to a career that depends on my mind rather than my body, but after a life in the working class, this transition is going to take time. The optical neuritis side of MS is also threatening my ability to read, compounding these challenges.

After extensive research and consultation with my medical team, I’ve found a supportive stem cell treatment program in Texas that has shown very promising results in halting the disease’s progression and, in some cases, helping restore neural function. This treatment is not covered by my insurance, but it represents a real opportunity to intervene before more permanent damage can occur.

Those of you who know me, know that asking for help does not come easy for me. But I’ve reached the point where I’ve been humbled to the fact that I can’t do this alone.

What your contribution here goes to:

- The direct cost of my stem cell treatment

- Travel expenses to Texas to receive it

This matters now because MS does not wait. The longer it is allowed to progress, the greater the risk of irreparable loss of function. The sooner I can take action, the more likely I will be able to preserve my mobility, independence, and quality of life.

Any contribution, of any amount, helps. And even if you can’t contribute, just sharing this campaign is a solid favor and is deeply appreciated.

With sincere gratitude,

Zach Brown