Supporting Quality of Life for Dr. Ocampo with ALS

My name is Joshua, and I am raising an emergency fundraiser for my dear friend suffering from ALS. Being a fast-paced disease that inevitably leads to death, its progression requires constant and needed adjustments/modifications to ensure one's quality of life is as comfortable as possible, which is why I am asking for your help. The funds acquired will be used for medical equipment, equipment to make things more accessible, and indoor modifications necessary for not just him but to make the everyday tasks less straining on his caregivers--his mom, his husband, and myself.

 

Here is his story...

 

 

This is Dr. Felipe Ocampo Gonzalez, one of my dearest friends and in my eyes, an angel...genuinely kind-hearted, selfless, bright, and a loving soul close to the hearts of his friends and family who can captivate others with a smile.

Born and raised in Colombia, Felipe is a medical surgeon currently residing in California with his loving husband and five dogs; he was on his way to earning a medical license for the U.S. However, Felipe's life changed drastically when he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS/MND), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease in February 2021 at the age of 31.

 

 

ALS is an always fatal neurodegenerative disease in which a person's brain loses connection with the muscles due to nerve cells that die. Inevitably, it robs you of your ability to walk, talk, swallow and eventually breathe.

 

Having gotten two opinions to be sure, the neurologists Felipe sought informed him that he indeed has ALS, and anywhere from 2-4 years of life to live. It's already been a year now, and his body has declined tremendously...at first, he had difficulties grasping objects to eat and opening doors--practically every day-to-day functions we take for granted. Next was his inability to walk without feeling like losing his balance and falling, even just from standing unless he had his cane or someone by his side to assist.

 

 

As much as he tried to be independent in the early stages, it has now come to where he needs someone to aid him entirely: getting in and out of bed, using the restroom, bathed, clothed, hand-fed (non-dry foods only or else he risks choking), given medicine, only getting around with the use of his powered wheelchair, needing assistance when transitioning from the wheelchair to the bed or toilet and vise versa, and so on. His breathing has also declined to the equivalency of having only one lung. Felipe uses a bipap machine to help him breathe and make it possible to nap and sleep at night.

 

 

Felipe has also undergone PICC line insertion surgery where he got a catheter put into his arm for infusion therapy in the hopes the medicine given would help stop, or the very least, slow down the progression. Soon after, he got a feeding tube placed for when the time comes he can no longer take down food and swallow liquids. Felipe's speech has also gotten worse where it is extremely difficult to make out what he is trying to say. Just him speaking alone takes so much effort; according to him it's like running a marathon with weights on his back. Thankfully, he now has a device that speaks for him, using his eyes to make out words and phrases.

 

 

 

 

Ever since Felipe's diagnosis, there have been countless adjustments to make things bearable for him and us as his caregivers. Only a couple of modifications for his house were made, but much more is crucially needed along with accessibility equipment. This is why we desperately need your help...

 

These modifications are very expensive and insurance to cover them is non-existent, so we will need to pay out of pocket. Just to give you an idea, the costs to an average family affected from ALS can go anywhere from $150,000-$250,000. Some of these mods/equipment are going to be:

 

Where ALS isn't slowing down, we can't either; and with that said, I cannot stress enough how imperative this emergency fundraiser be made possible. Time is not on his side and we can use all the help we can get...anything to help now and acquire some equipment by the end of the month would be a wonderful start. Your generous donation, anything it may be, would mean the world to us and solace for Felipe's remaining quality of life.

 

 

 

If you would also like to learn more about ALS, this website can give you more insight on what Felipe and those afflicted with the disease are going through: https://www.als.org/