Stem Cell Therapy for My Mom's MS

Hi! My name is Tracy, and I'm starting this fundraiser on behalf of my mom, Michele. She has had symptoms of relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) for decades now, and recently received an official diagnosis in the last 5 years.

Unfortunately in that period, her MS has drastically increased in severity. Where she was having difficulty walking and standing during my and my husband's wedding in 2019, she now can't walk at all without the help of a walker, electric chair, or scooter. She cannot drive anymore and has a hard time leaving the house, even for doctor's appointments. As difficult as it's been to watch her disease progress so suddenly, I can't imagine how difficult it must be for her, especially since throughout my entire life, she's always been the one to take care of everyone around her. Currently, my dad, who works full-time doing apartment maintenance at their place of residence in Chandler, AZ, is also her sole caretaker. It's a huge effort to do both, and I know the past couple of years have been very trying for both of them.

Now, I want to help take care of her. This month, my mom was approved to do stem cell therapy treatment at a facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, which isn't too far from where they currently live. The treatment costs about $14,000 total, including transportation expenses, and is not covered by insurance because stem cell therapy is considered an experimental treatment. Because she was a stay-at-home mom while I was growing up and doesn't have a robust work history, Michele is ineligible for social security benefits, and because my dad's sole income is over the $1,200 per month allotted for married couples seeking benefits, she also doesn't qualify for disability payments. The U.S. system has failed her, as it has so many other disabled people in similar predicaments, so my parents don't have any assistance to help with this endeavor, except for any help from friends, family, and from kind and wonderful people who may donate to her cause. My parents are currently taking out a loan for the cost of this procedure and will supplement it with any donations that are gathered.

Stem cell therapy has shown to be very promising in the treatment of MS to modify the immune system response that attacks myelin sheath cells, which causes the lesions that are responsible for the neurological symptoms associated with the disease. There is no cure for MS, but if stem cell therapy treatment is successful for my mom, it would help to slow down its progression, reduce inflammation, and promote tissue repair, all of which can help her regain some function and make life a LOT easier for her and my dad.

Thank you all so much for reading and for thinking of us! If you can't donate (I know times are hard for SO many people right now), please consider sharing this on social media to spread the word and get as many eyes on this as possible! My parents are great people, and they really deserve a silver lining.