Stem Cell Transplant

My name is Jasmine Matthews (Jazz) and I am 25 years old from the Chicagoland area and over the past year it has been extremely hard for my family and I. I am a former Division 1 basketball player from Bowling Green State University and former Marian Catholic Spartan. On December 15, 2017, I was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. MS is a  autoimmune disease often a disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.  And just a few weeks after the diagnosis, the lower half of my body shut down and from January 5th- February 2nd of 2018 I was hospitalized.

Shortly after being diagnosed I was unable to walk, move any part of my lower body, including my toes. Having a numb and tingling sensation cover my body from the tip of my toes all the way up to my bra-line. I experience bladder problems, pain on my spinal cord and back. I also suffered from abdominal pain, swallowing problem, speech issues, blurred vision and had weakness and tingling in my fingers and legs. I also have pain and muscle spasms in my legs. While I have the MS that comes and goes, it has been over a year, we have been trying every medication, every treatment and nothing but dieting and physical therapy seem to be helping.

Miraculousy, here in Chicago, there is a doctor who specializes in severe cases of MS. This doctor who’s background is in stem cell research for patients with severe cases of autoimmune diseases like myself. Basically the transplant would suppress my immune system with a high-dose chemo therapy and my stem cells are taken out, harvested while I am in the hospital, then my stem cells are given back to me and it will regenerate and rebuild my attacked immune system, hault my symtoms and take me off all MS medication.

This transplant is a life-changing opportunity that normally would be covered by insurance but because of how severe my disease is insurance won’t cover the cost of the transplant. I have already seen this doctor and his team and he believes I can benefit from a transplant  because I am young but I just need to keep progressing and somehow be covered for the transplant.

With the costs of MS treatments, medicine, appointments, MRI’s, hospitalizations and misc. medical bills we have already spent so much. My family and I need your help getting my life back. As a former athlete you can imagine having everything taken from me so abruptly at a young age, fighting every day just for some new progress is beyond tough. Please, please, please consider helping and donating to the cost of the transplant. It is a one time payment of $125,000. I can’t express enough how life-changing this opportunity is and that I have been blessed enough to be considered for. My family and I from the bottom of our hearts genuinely appreciate your kindness and love no matter the amount. Thank you for your support/prayers and God bless.