Stem-Cell Therapy for Luke Prater
Donation protected
Thank you all so much for your generosity - we are so happy to have met our goal! Just so you know we are keeping this campaign open because Luke's post-clinic regime is proving to be very expensive! Also he will be returning to Germany for his stem-cell follow up in Germany in 3 - 6 months. The treatment is covered in the original cost but we'll need to find the money for flights and accomodation. Thank you all again for your support...
Luke's Story
Luke Prater was always the life and soul of the party, singing, drumming and making everybody laugh! In 2002, having just graduated from his masters, he was all set to start a career in music journalism in London. Luke was also following in his father's footsteps, beginning to run singing and African drum workshops. He was so well-loved as a shining, warm-hearted soul, a passionate musician, and diligent student of Ethnomusicology.
But that summer, 15 years ago, was the last anyone saw of Luke Prater. At the age of 26, Luke collapsed, his mind and body plummeting into the worst state of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME we had ever heard of. In this weakened state, Luke’s body has continued to deteriorate, and over the last 14 years of lying in bed, he has been diagnosed with several viruses including EBV (Epstein-Barr Virus, the cause of glandular fever/mononucleosis), alongside chronic back problems, chronic eye problems (hyper-photosensitivity, myopia, double vision & repetitive eyestrain), as well as severe anxiety and other nervous disorders.
Two years before Luke's father died, Nick recorded 7 of the beautiful songs he had written over his lifetime. Until this moment they have been sitting on a hard-drive waiting for their time to come out into the world. Though our beloved Nick passed away 4 years ago, part of him has returned to help Luke on his healing journey. So, we release this CD Eternal Life, a gift from father to son, in aid of Luke's courageous steps. If you would like to receive a copy of this CD as a thank you for your donation just click on the 'rewards' on the right hand side of this page. Feel free to edit the amount if you'd like to give more than £5 or £10.
Over the the last 14 years, Luke has been cared for by his family, his mother giving up her job as a Kindergarten teacher to look after him. The house his sister Susie spent her teenage years in was like a ghost house. She practiced her music at the bottom of the garden, they could have no guests, the family tiptoeing around, as any sense of movement would disturb Luke in his blacked out room. Meals were left outside of his room; he became nocturnal to cope with just being alive. Susie & Joy remember two whole years going by without seeing even a glimpse of their fading older brother, sharing a small 3 bedroom house.
As a talented poet, Luke composed verses in his overactive, anxious mind, spinning in a personal hell of never-ending darkness, not being able to read or write. After trying every possible natural solution, Luke has been reliant on pharmaceutical drugs for survival in a world that is far too intense for him to cope with. These drugs hardened him and allowed him to crawl out of this very severe state, but have caused many longstanding side-affects, and a disconnection from the world. Even with the help of this medication Luke is only just coping, and has come to a place where he just can't live like this anymore.
After fourteen years we've finally found a way forward that looks very promising - a two-week stem-cell treatment program in a private German clinic where they treat those with CFS/ME, chronic Lyme Disease, and other chronic and degenerative illnesses. This private clinic has an exciting success rate, and we're praying every day that Luke will be able to move forward in his life. He turned 40 this year.
As you can imagine, this 2-week trip to Germany will be very expensive, costing around £22,000 - though every penny is worth it, if only for a chance of Luke's life beginning to transform. Each of The Praters will put in what they have, and we will need at least £17,000 more. What an incredible gift each of your donations will be for us.
With such incredible thanks for your generosity in helping Luke get to Germany, and regain a life worth living.
In eternal Gratitude,
The Prater Family
Luke's Story
Luke Prater was always the life and soul of the party, singing, drumming and making everybody laugh! In 2002, having just graduated from his masters, he was all set to start a career in music journalism in London. Luke was also following in his father's footsteps, beginning to run singing and African drum workshops. He was so well-loved as a shining, warm-hearted soul, a passionate musician, and diligent student of Ethnomusicology.
But that summer, 15 years ago, was the last anyone saw of Luke Prater. At the age of 26, Luke collapsed, his mind and body plummeting into the worst state of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME we had ever heard of. In this weakened state, Luke’s body has continued to deteriorate, and over the last 14 years of lying in bed, he has been diagnosed with several viruses including EBV (Epstein-Barr Virus, the cause of glandular fever/mononucleosis), alongside chronic back problems, chronic eye problems (hyper-photosensitivity, myopia, double vision & repetitive eyestrain), as well as severe anxiety and other nervous disorders.
Two years before Luke's father died, Nick recorded 7 of the beautiful songs he had written over his lifetime. Until this moment they have been sitting on a hard-drive waiting for their time to come out into the world. Though our beloved Nick passed away 4 years ago, part of him has returned to help Luke on his healing journey. So, we release this CD Eternal Life, a gift from father to son, in aid of Luke's courageous steps. If you would like to receive a copy of this CD as a thank you for your donation just click on the 'rewards' on the right hand side of this page. Feel free to edit the amount if you'd like to give more than £5 or £10.
Over the the last 14 years, Luke has been cared for by his family, his mother giving up her job as a Kindergarten teacher to look after him. The house his sister Susie spent her teenage years in was like a ghost house. She practiced her music at the bottom of the garden, they could have no guests, the family tiptoeing around, as any sense of movement would disturb Luke in his blacked out room. Meals were left outside of his room; he became nocturnal to cope with just being alive. Susie & Joy remember two whole years going by without seeing even a glimpse of their fading older brother, sharing a small 3 bedroom house.
As a talented poet, Luke composed verses in his overactive, anxious mind, spinning in a personal hell of never-ending darkness, not being able to read or write. After trying every possible natural solution, Luke has been reliant on pharmaceutical drugs for survival in a world that is far too intense for him to cope with. These drugs hardened him and allowed him to crawl out of this very severe state, but have caused many longstanding side-affects, and a disconnection from the world. Even with the help of this medication Luke is only just coping, and has come to a place where he just can't live like this anymore.
After fourteen years we've finally found a way forward that looks very promising - a two-week stem-cell treatment program in a private German clinic where they treat those with CFS/ME, chronic Lyme Disease, and other chronic and degenerative illnesses. This private clinic has an exciting success rate, and we're praying every day that Luke will be able to move forward in his life. He turned 40 this year.
As you can imagine, this 2-week trip to Germany will be very expensive, costing around £22,000 - though every penny is worth it, if only for a chance of Luke's life beginning to transform. Each of The Praters will put in what they have, and we will need at least £17,000 more. What an incredible gift each of your donations will be for us.
With such incredible thanks for your generosity in helping Luke get to Germany, and regain a life worth living.
In eternal Gratitude,
The Prater Family
Organizer and beneficiary
Joy Prater
Organizer
Susie Prater
Beneficiary
