Michela's Multiple Sclerosis Fund

After battling heath issues throughout my college years, last year I suddenly became blind in one eye and after months of diagnostic tests abroad, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 25. Multiple Sclerosis is an incurable disease where the body’s immune system attacks the central nervous system, such as the brain and spine, overtime causing irreversible and disabling damage in many different areas of the body. It is a progressive disease whose rates of progression can vary greatly from individual but nonetheless causes a minimum of 10 years reduced life expectancy with most individuals suffering from advanced disability within twenty years of disease onset. Doctors have determined that I’ve likely been living with the disease for about ten years, ten years of no treatment or medical attention that have accelerated the disease well beyond the standard for my age group. Following my diagnosis last year, I returned to work determined to move on with my life as normal as possible but was shaken into my new reality quickly as I became aware that the final relapse episode had taken an undeniable toll on my physical state far beyond what myself or my family could have imagined. Learning to live with this life long chronic illness has been much of a roller coaster ride for the past year. In truth, one would think that having unknowlingly lived with this disease for the past ten years that I should have mastered this by now but thats not quite how it works. It's a never ending battle where the rules to the game change at a dimes toss only to find yourself knocked off your feet once again.Life has never been the same since. Remaining in a full-time job became impossible and the pressures of extensive sick leaves and unsuitable schedules for my medical needs and physical abilities became rapidly obvious. 

What’s more is that Multiple Sclerosis(MS), is one of the most expensive illness in the world. In 2014, an average MS patient's prescriptions cost more than an average cancer patient's, according to data from ExpressScripts, a large pharmacy benefits manager.  The disease is progressive and its incurable nature sentences patience to a life of exorbitant medical bills and uncertain futures.  It was at that moment that I realized that to fight this illness , I would need to be well more equipped that having a $30,000 annum job as my Multiple Sclerosis medication , which slows the progression of the disease, costs a whopping $55,000 yer year! I immediately decided that I needed to open a business to help me generate a higher income capable of paying these medical bills not just for myself but to relief my family of these impossible financial burdens as well. I have since been working relentlesy to get my company off the ground. Unfortunately I didn't make the open as planned before the next relapse.  Multiple Sclerosis struck once again and I spent a month a half at the beginning of 2016 in a specialized hospital in Italy healing from another relapse.

Now at the beginning of the BVI's slow tourism season and with my brand new business unready to take off the ground fully until the Fall, income-less, and $65,000 in medical expenses later, my family and I are in need more than ever of assistance in covering medical funds until the new season begins when we can move onto our next step together of battling this very difficult and unforgiving disease. Along side the needing to re-order expensive medications (totaling 16 pills for various issues per day), I am overdue for specialized lenses, full set of hearing aids, speech therapy, my periodic MRI’s, specialized medical visits and more. Although I am blessed that the National Health Insurance has come into effect in this very difficult time, many of these above mentioned necessities are not covered or required to be carried out abroad.

It is for this reason, that my family and  I have made the decision to kindly reach out  asking  support towards our Michela’s Medical Fund . Having had to learn first hand about the difficulties of living with this disease, I have in recent months moved forward with the steps necessary to found the BVI Multiple Sclerosis society as a non-profit organization, in hopes that my return back on my feet will in turn allow me to help others in their own struggle against MS. 

We give a strong and heart felt thank you in advance to any kind support offered to  our family in this time of need. 

With much love, 

The Paradisi Family