Alyssa K. Cancer Treatment
Donation protected
Alyssa is a Wilmington, NC resident who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (cancer in the bone marrow) over five years ago. She has had two bone marrow transplants that were not fully successful. She is now seeking a combination of chemotherapy (covered by her insurance) at UNC-Chapel Hill and immunotherapies (not covered by her insurance) at CHIPSA Hospital in Mexico and with Dr. Ernst of Maximized Living out of Charlotte, NC.
About a year and a half ago, Alyssa had some testing done with Dr. Ernst. Based on those tests, he recommended she go to CHIPSA Hospital in Mexico for alternative treatment because the chemotherapies/immunotherapy protocol she was on here in the States were not working and up to that point, no protocol had put her in remission much less cured her. She stayed on the CHIPSA protocol for around nine months and again did testing with Dr. Ernst. He saw improvements in her health but there were still a lot of issues affecting her lack of healing. He recommended adding his protocol as well for four months - so combining the two. In addition, she is on a new chemotherapy for Multiple Myeloma called Bendamustine.
The toll chemotherapy treatments have taken on her body and the time needed to continue with the alternative protocols has made it extremely difficult for Alyssa to work in this season of life and all of these funds will go towards continuing her current protocol with Dr. Ernst in North Carolina and continuing to work with her current doctor at UNC Chapel Hill. If you don't know Alyssa or you want to know more. Please read the interview below.
So for anyone who might not know, what's your name?
My name is Alyssa.
What have you done for work in the past?
My last full-time job was working for a senior living company. When possible, I teach tennis, which I really enjoy.
What type of cancer do you have?
I have Multiple Myeloma
How does that cancer attack/affect your body?
I have bone pain, symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue (a big problem), recurrent infections, breathlessness, low white and red blood cell count, and eventually I can develop renal failure. It can be very difficult and frustrating, especially in making short or long term plans.
What do doctors in the US say the prognosis is?
They say there is no cure but there are new drugs coming out all the time and hopefully at some point, one or a combination of drugs will work for me.
What do doctors in Mexico say the prognosis is?
They say I can eventually be cured through an advanced immunotherapy protocol. I am now working with Dr. Ernst in Charlotte, NC and we are combining some of his recommended food protocols with protocols from CHIPSA Hospital.
How much money do you need to raise?
$29,600 total by the end of May 2020
Can you break down what that amount will cover?
- I owe $9,600 in current medical debt
- By the end of 2019, I need to raise an additional $5,000 for medical expenses, such as money that will be owed to Dr. Ernst, the cost of organic food, supplements, medical supplies, travel expenses, insurance and basic living expenses
- $3,000/month from January through May 2020 for payments to Dr. Ernst, which tentatively ends at the end of February, the cost of organic food, supplements, medical supplies, travel expenses, insurance and basic living expenses
What are your best hopes for these treatments and what evidence do you have that immunotherapy is likely to be helpful?
So far, it seems that a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy is working for me. I’m hoping that over time this will be the cure. Below is a link to a testimonial of a man who went from a stage three Multiple Myeloma diagnosis to a stage one by following the immunotherapy protocol at CHIPSA Hospital. Testimonies like these really encourage me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAPtR2efSZM
What benefits have you noticed from immunotherapy so far?
The advanced immunotherapy has been tremendous in giving me more energy and removing many side effects from chemotherapy and the bone marrow transplants. In the last year that I have been on immunotherapy, it has helped to slowly rebuild my immune system and balance out the side effects of the chemotherapy treatments, although to bring it to the place where my immune system is recognizing and killing cancer cells will take some time. It’s a tough protocol but it’s been worth it and I think it will ultimately help to cure me.
What are your hopes for the future?
I think God has more planned for me, so from that perspective, I am looking forward to being cancer free and moving forward with those plans. I would love to spend more time with my immediate and extended family and watch my nieces and nephews grow up. Additionally, I would like to be available to help out family and friends who are going through an illness. Having walked through this illness and now still going through it, I know more about the physical, emotional and spiritual toll it takes on a person and their loved ones, and what it takes to be a caregiver and how important it is. And last but not least, I would like to go back to school and resume working full-time.
About a year and a half ago, Alyssa had some testing done with Dr. Ernst. Based on those tests, he recommended she go to CHIPSA Hospital in Mexico for alternative treatment because the chemotherapies/immunotherapy protocol she was on here in the States were not working and up to that point, no protocol had put her in remission much less cured her. She stayed on the CHIPSA protocol for around nine months and again did testing with Dr. Ernst. He saw improvements in her health but there were still a lot of issues affecting her lack of healing. He recommended adding his protocol as well for four months - so combining the two. In addition, she is on a new chemotherapy for Multiple Myeloma called Bendamustine.
The toll chemotherapy treatments have taken on her body and the time needed to continue with the alternative protocols has made it extremely difficult for Alyssa to work in this season of life and all of these funds will go towards continuing her current protocol with Dr. Ernst in North Carolina and continuing to work with her current doctor at UNC Chapel Hill. If you don't know Alyssa or you want to know more. Please read the interview below.
So for anyone who might not know, what's your name?
My name is Alyssa.
What have you done for work in the past?
My last full-time job was working for a senior living company. When possible, I teach tennis, which I really enjoy.
What type of cancer do you have?
I have Multiple Myeloma
How does that cancer attack/affect your body?
I have bone pain, symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue (a big problem), recurrent infections, breathlessness, low white and red blood cell count, and eventually I can develop renal failure. It can be very difficult and frustrating, especially in making short or long term plans.
What do doctors in the US say the prognosis is?
They say there is no cure but there are new drugs coming out all the time and hopefully at some point, one or a combination of drugs will work for me.
What do doctors in Mexico say the prognosis is?
They say I can eventually be cured through an advanced immunotherapy protocol. I am now working with Dr. Ernst in Charlotte, NC and we are combining some of his recommended food protocols with protocols from CHIPSA Hospital.
How much money do you need to raise?
$29,600 total by the end of May 2020
Can you break down what that amount will cover?
- I owe $9,600 in current medical debt
- By the end of 2019, I need to raise an additional $5,000 for medical expenses, such as money that will be owed to Dr. Ernst, the cost of organic food, supplements, medical supplies, travel expenses, insurance and basic living expenses
- $3,000/month from January through May 2020 for payments to Dr. Ernst, which tentatively ends at the end of February, the cost of organic food, supplements, medical supplies, travel expenses, insurance and basic living expenses
What are your best hopes for these treatments and what evidence do you have that immunotherapy is likely to be helpful?
So far, it seems that a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy is working for me. I’m hoping that over time this will be the cure. Below is a link to a testimonial of a man who went from a stage three Multiple Myeloma diagnosis to a stage one by following the immunotherapy protocol at CHIPSA Hospital. Testimonies like these really encourage me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAPtR2efSZM
What benefits have you noticed from immunotherapy so far?
The advanced immunotherapy has been tremendous in giving me more energy and removing many side effects from chemotherapy and the bone marrow transplants. In the last year that I have been on immunotherapy, it has helped to slowly rebuild my immune system and balance out the side effects of the chemotherapy treatments, although to bring it to the place where my immune system is recognizing and killing cancer cells will take some time. It’s a tough protocol but it’s been worth it and I think it will ultimately help to cure me.
What are your hopes for the future?
I think God has more planned for me, so from that perspective, I am looking forward to being cancer free and moving forward with those plans. I would love to spend more time with my immediate and extended family and watch my nieces and nephews grow up. Additionally, I would like to be available to help out family and friends who are going through an illness. Having walked through this illness and now still going through it, I know more about the physical, emotional and spiritual toll it takes on a person and their loved ones, and what it takes to be a caregiver and how important it is. And last but not least, I would like to go back to school and resume working full-time.
Organizer
McKay Glasgow
Organizer
Wilmington, NC