Our friend Charlie desperately needs your help

Kim McLachlan is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Lee Hamilton.

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Let’s start by stating the obvious, anyone who has been lucky enough to call Charlie (Carleen) a friend considers themselves blessed. There is no friend purer or truer than Charlie. She has the innate ability to make you feel like you are the most important person in her world. Living the nomadic life of an RCMP spouse for over 25 years, she has welcomed countless ‘orphaned’ RCMP members into her home and family, providing friendship, laughter, love and an abundance of food. Charlie, and her husband Lee, have played matchmaker to her many single friends and Lee’s many single coworkers. Charlie and Lee served their community by billeting junior hockey players and became a beloved surrogate Mom to Kristofer along the way. There is no one like Charlie – she is the kindest soul, she gives the best hugs, she is generous, she is supportive and compassionate, she is determined - she is a tough cookie when she has to be but fair at the same time, she is magnetic - you can’t help but be drawn to her, she is trouble in all the right ways, she is the life of the party and she is the light that shines brightest whenever she is in the room. Most of all she is passionate about loving her family and friends and it is now our time to show her as much love and support as she has individually provided all of us over the years.

Here is her story – In March 2021, Charlie was gardening with her son and in conversation her speech became slurred so much so that poor Brad thought she might have been “day drinking” as she put it. Over the next couple of weeks, her speech continued to be affected and she started exhibiting other stroke-like symptoms. Charlie was taken to the ER where it was determined she had not suffered a stroke; however she was sent to the Stroke Clinic for additional testing. She had an MRI and CT Scan which she passed with flying colours. The best diagnosis the doctors could come up with was a brain virus. As the days passed, her symptoms continued to worsen dramatically.

In the beginning of June 2021, she attended a second neurologist’s office. She was able to walk into the office under her own strength. More tests ensued – EEGs and a lumbar punch to detect brain abnormalities were completed and then the 8 week waiting game for the results began. During this time, her physical condition continued to decline, and she began exhibiting some personality changes including uncontrolled laughter and crying outbursts.

Lee became so concerned with her deterioration that he expedited her second appointment. At this visit, on August 3, 2021, Charlie required Lee’s physical support to make her way into the office. The neurologist repeated the same tests that had been performed at her last visit as well as an EMG to assess nerve/muscle dysfunction or disruption to the transmission between the two. This test involved a negative electrode and a positive needle being inserted directly into muscles to instill a reaction.

Following this round of testing, the doctor advised Charlie and Lee that ‘there was no easy way to say this, but you have ALS and have 8 months left to live… good luck’. And as Lee describes, “in typical Charlie fashion she looked at him and says, ‘I’m sorry’. Are you kidding me! But that is her soul!” That said, there is no definitive test for ALS. It is diagnosed through a process of elimination, once the doctors have exhausted the tests available to them and they have done everything they know how to do, they deliver a diagnosis of ALS based on symptoms, only because it does not fall under any other category.

Immediately following this diagnosis, a palliative care team was brought in to support the family and Charlie to help her to pass on with dignity. Her condition has digressed to the point that she now cannot walk, can barely talk and has great difficulty feeding herself and, as a result, has had a feeding tube inserted. While enduring the rapid decline of his wife, Lee was in doubt and unaccepting of her fate when hope arrived in the form of their friend Sharon who informed Lee that Lyme disease often disguises itself as other diseases such as ALS. This hope was all that was needed. Charlie’s hair follicles were processed through a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor in Calgary and sure enough, Lyme disease was present. Further blood work was ordered and completed at a clinic in Germany, and it came back 100% positive for Lyme disease and chronic immune disorder. Charlie was immediately placed on an extensive antibiotic regime.

The Doctor in Calgary who performed Charlie’s testing had personally sought treatment for Lyme disease at the Baja Med Clinic in Tijuana, Mexico. Lee felt strongly enough that if it was successful for her, and because she has been a strong advocate in assisting in healing Charlie, that this was the place to go. The serology report was received on October 2nd and hasty arrangements were made as time has not been on Charlie’s side. Charlie, Lee and her mom, Heidi, are currently in Mexico where Charlie is undergoing three weeks of extensive testing and an intensive treatment regime. The clinic in Mexico is her only option for treatment; it is not available anywhere in North America.

So, this is where Charlie needs our help. Because of her initial diagnosis of ALS, the costs of the medical treatment for Lyme disease are not covered by our Canadian medical system, and these costs are exorbitant. The huge financial burden of this treatment is being borne solely by her family. In order to provide Charlie the best success we can with her treatment, and to allow the family to focus their energy on caring for Charlie, we are seeking donations on her behalf. The smallest donation will help immensely. If you are unable to donate but you want to do all you can to help our friend, please share this GoFundMe information through your email and post it on your social media platforms to bring awareness to Charlie’s plight.