Carrying on Gary's fight against ALS!

Gary has done and seen things in his career that most of us only have nightmares about; he has traveled the world and worked in the most deplorable places imaginable for 30 years, all for the love of his country. Even after he retired he spent time fighting pirates in the oceans overseas. I am proud to say I know this man.
Gary is fighting a battle now that he needs our help to win. He was diagnosed last year with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS)and I am very sad to say that it is progressing quickly. He has gone from being a mountain of a man to a wheel chair with a feeding tube and ventilator to help with breathing within the last year.
Although Gary has his wife, family and friends circling around him to help him cope with his situation, I am sorry to say that it is not enough. Caring for someone with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) is not only mentally straining but the financial burden is unbearable as well.
The VA is not much help for Gary, they are more in the business of helping our veterans "get by" until they pass and are no longer "on their books" so to speak instead of doing what is necessary to get them well, and to help them overcome their illness. In my opinion, the government should be doing everything and more to help considering all that Gary has given them.
In other words, Gary may have some VA benefits to get him by, but not to get him well. This man has spent his life in service of this country and deserves whatever we can do to get him well, not just get him by. ALS is considered a terminal decease and without research into areas that will do more than just extend one's life, it will remain that way, terminal.
Gary has been accepted into a clinical study at the University of South Florida. He has been given the opportunity to receive an experimental stem cell therapy for patients with motor neuron disease, a clinical research study. The treatment is designed to target bone marrow where stem cells are produced and increase their production. The body is tricked into thinking there is an infection and therefore the production of white blood cells will go up considerably. The trial for this disease has not been conducted anywhere else. This study is being conducted to determine the persistence of bone-marrow derived stem cells in the circulatory system after treatment with G-CSF (Filgrastim, Neupogen) and the safety of high frequency administration of Filgrastim in patients with ALS. The drug slowed and in some research reversed the progression of motor neuron disease (ALS) and improved function. Gary has received three treatments that are allowed in the study and has regained slight movement in his legs and arms. In order for Gary to continue these treatments he will need funding to pay for each of the next 9. This is an expense the family cannot afford ($10,000 per treatment) and needs help raising funds to continue the treatments.
I will say this, if anyone can beat this disease it is Gary "Doc" Welt. I have known this man since I was 15, (40 years) and there is nothing he has not conquered when the task was put in front of him. He has put his life on the line for us more often than we will ever know, please help us show him how much we care about him now that he needs us. Please give whatever you can, any amount will help. Thank you so much....