Helping Gloria Fight ALS
Donation protected
GLORIA
Lioness-hearted single mother.
Adoring daughter.
Endlessly selfless and fiercely loyal friend.
Vivacious and playful salsa dancing queen.
Sensitive artistic soul, discovering the poetry in everything.
A multi-faceted pillar of love & joy.
On August 27, 2019 my beautiful Mother, Gloria, was diagnosed with ALS.
The Disease. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a neurodegenerative disease that is relentlessly progressive and presently incurable. With ALS, the brain is unable to communicate (send motor neurons/messages) to all of the muscles of the body that normally move at will. This creates paralyses in each muscle as they gradually weaken and eventually atrophy. Patients are given 2 to 5 years to live.
I am raising money to help our family in supporting Gloria’s quality of life. I would like to thank you in advance for any donation you can make. Please read Gloria’s journey below…
The Backstory. One morning in February, a few weeks before her 60th birthday, Gloria woke up to experience what is called lumbosacral onset. In an unusually rapid way, weakness and numbness struck like lightning in the region starting from her lower back all the way down to her feet. Painful fasciculations (twitching) like pins and needles began in her back and neck, right arm and hand.
For the next six months, the symptoms continued. Gloria persistently went from doctor to doctor, test to test, scans to biopsy’s; all the while navigating her physical limitations and extreme fatigue. No conclusions, befuddled medical professionals. She even did an EMG test early on where the neurologist saw no signs of the ‘heavy-hitters’ (ALS, MS…). Mentally and emotionally, the constant confusion surrounding a lack of diagnosis was causing its own unique pain. Stress and anxiety hanging overhead like a storm cloud.
Now, with the diagnosis from that recent fateful EMG and confirmation upon second opinion, there is clarity… albeit the most heartbreaking kind.
As a woman who’s known for having the playful energy and spunk of a 30 year old - who seeks to be in service of others, to spread joy, to explore – it has been challenging to adjust. She has lost tremendous muscle mass and mobility in her legs, hips and back.
It has already been a battle to remain in a headspace of hope and positivity. Imagining the many difficult aspects of the journey ahead of now us weighs heavy on our hearts. But our family and friends are rallying together to overcome.
The Journey Ahead. In spite of receiving a life-altering terminal diagnosis, my mother’s courage and determination to stare this disease in the face is like nothing I’ve ever known. Like a powerful rogue wave rising from the depths of the sea she has gone full warrior-goddess. There is only positivity. Full force ahead in the divine the law of attraction and the science of quantum healing.
She has been keeping more active than ever with yoga, weight-training and physiotherapy. She has completely overhauled her diet. She dedicates her days to healthy living, naturopathic appointments and fervent researching. She is pushing to get on the list to participate in clinical trials for stem cell therapy, and will be beginning Riluzone as soon as possible.
How You Can Help/The Costs. Since March, Gloria has been on disability from her job and is not receiving full pay. I have established this GoFundMe to graciously receive financial support from the community in her healing journey.
1) The funds we raise are urgently needed in creating accessibility that will offer Gloria a meaningful quality of life. This means through in-home modification setting up a disability-friendly bathroom.
2) Contributions will help cover the cost of Riluzone - an FDA approved drug for ALS.
3) Lastly, the donations will also assist her as she deep-dives into naturopathic healing methods. We support Gloria as she chooses to embody hope and determination in looking towards the promise that is offered in the world of alternative medicine and bio-energetics. While the hard truth is that there is currently no effective treatment for ALS in conventional medicine; through integrated mind-body protocols ALS has been proven to slow dramatically and in rare cases plateau.
Gloria believes she can heal her body. Help us send her to Sanoviv Medical Institute where she will undergo a program that blends conventional, alternative and integrated medicine.
We are so grateful for any contribution you can make, large or small, to help our radiant Gloria in her healing journey. She is the light and joy of our lives and we can’t imagine loosing her now. We are appreciative of your prayers and warm thoughts. From our hearts to yours: thank you!
*If you would like to reach out to Gloria, want to share personal knowledge about ALS or have any questions about her healing plan, please do so through myself, her daughter Hilary. You can message me through this campaign. *
Lioness-hearted single mother.
Adoring daughter.
Endlessly selfless and fiercely loyal friend.
Vivacious and playful salsa dancing queen.
Sensitive artistic soul, discovering the poetry in everything.
A multi-faceted pillar of love & joy.
On August 27, 2019 my beautiful Mother, Gloria, was diagnosed with ALS.
The Disease. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a neurodegenerative disease that is relentlessly progressive and presently incurable. With ALS, the brain is unable to communicate (send motor neurons/messages) to all of the muscles of the body that normally move at will. This creates paralyses in each muscle as they gradually weaken and eventually atrophy. Patients are given 2 to 5 years to live.
I am raising money to help our family in supporting Gloria’s quality of life. I would like to thank you in advance for any donation you can make. Please read Gloria’s journey below…
The Backstory. One morning in February, a few weeks before her 60th birthday, Gloria woke up to experience what is called lumbosacral onset. In an unusually rapid way, weakness and numbness struck like lightning in the region starting from her lower back all the way down to her feet. Painful fasciculations (twitching) like pins and needles began in her back and neck, right arm and hand.
For the next six months, the symptoms continued. Gloria persistently went from doctor to doctor, test to test, scans to biopsy’s; all the while navigating her physical limitations and extreme fatigue. No conclusions, befuddled medical professionals. She even did an EMG test early on where the neurologist saw no signs of the ‘heavy-hitters’ (ALS, MS…). Mentally and emotionally, the constant confusion surrounding a lack of diagnosis was causing its own unique pain. Stress and anxiety hanging overhead like a storm cloud.
Now, with the diagnosis from that recent fateful EMG and confirmation upon second opinion, there is clarity… albeit the most heartbreaking kind.
As a woman who’s known for having the playful energy and spunk of a 30 year old - who seeks to be in service of others, to spread joy, to explore – it has been challenging to adjust. She has lost tremendous muscle mass and mobility in her legs, hips and back.
It has already been a battle to remain in a headspace of hope and positivity. Imagining the many difficult aspects of the journey ahead of now us weighs heavy on our hearts. But our family and friends are rallying together to overcome.
The Journey Ahead. In spite of receiving a life-altering terminal diagnosis, my mother’s courage and determination to stare this disease in the face is like nothing I’ve ever known. Like a powerful rogue wave rising from the depths of the sea she has gone full warrior-goddess. There is only positivity. Full force ahead in the divine the law of attraction and the science of quantum healing.
She has been keeping more active than ever with yoga, weight-training and physiotherapy. She has completely overhauled her diet. She dedicates her days to healthy living, naturopathic appointments and fervent researching. She is pushing to get on the list to participate in clinical trials for stem cell therapy, and will be beginning Riluzone as soon as possible.
How You Can Help/The Costs. Since March, Gloria has been on disability from her job and is not receiving full pay. I have established this GoFundMe to graciously receive financial support from the community in her healing journey.
1) The funds we raise are urgently needed in creating accessibility that will offer Gloria a meaningful quality of life. This means through in-home modification setting up a disability-friendly bathroom.
2) Contributions will help cover the cost of Riluzone - an FDA approved drug for ALS.
3) Lastly, the donations will also assist her as she deep-dives into naturopathic healing methods. We support Gloria as she chooses to embody hope and determination in looking towards the promise that is offered in the world of alternative medicine and bio-energetics. While the hard truth is that there is currently no effective treatment for ALS in conventional medicine; through integrated mind-body protocols ALS has been proven to slow dramatically and in rare cases plateau.
Gloria believes she can heal her body. Help us send her to Sanoviv Medical Institute where she will undergo a program that blends conventional, alternative and integrated medicine.
We are so grateful for any contribution you can make, large or small, to help our radiant Gloria in her healing journey. She is the light and joy of our lives and we can’t imagine loosing her now. We are appreciative of your prayers and warm thoughts. From our hearts to yours: thank you!
*If you would like to reach out to Gloria, want to share personal knowledge about ALS or have any questions about her healing plan, please do so through myself, her daughter Hilary. You can message me through this campaign. *
Organizer
Hilary Van Dyke
Organizer
Vancouver, BC