Melissa, 30 year old diagnosed with dementia!
Donation protected
Our goal The family of Melissa Curtis Beckman would like to raise $10,000 to help with her medical expenses. Melissa is a 30 year old vibrant active schoolteacher who has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia or Pick's Disease!
Her diagnosis by Mayo Clinic doctors is the first time they have seen it in a person so young. Pick's disease starts by effecting the person's ability to put their thoughts into words making it difficult to speak. As the disease progresses the brain experiences increase in shrinkage and more common dementia symptoms follow!
Melissa's story. Melissa is the middle child in a family of seven kids. Growing up in the upper peninsula of Michigan she was an active and extremely outgoing person. She graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2013 with a teaching degree. As a high school english teacher Melissa went back to her alma mater, Calumet High School, where she taught high school english and history for two years before getting married and moving to Marquette, Michigan. She continued teaching for two more years at Marquette high school.
Melissa married Ryan Beckman in July of 2015. Two years later she gave birth to her son Gabriel. Ryan and her family began noticing Melissa's symptoms during her pregnancy in 2017. What was first diagnosed as depression, as she struggled more and more to communicate, was eventually diagnosed as Picks in January 2019.
Melissa has spent her whole life smiling and helping others. She was also an avid runner having ran four marathons in recent years. She loved interacting with students and making a difference in their lives. Whether it was dressing up to become a character in the book she was reading with her English class or staying late to help students. Melissa gave her whole heart in everything she did in her life.
The Present: Since Melissa began seeking help in getting her diagnosis starting in 2017 her medical bills have become a heavy load. At this point her family is hoping to raise $10,000 to help pay for her bills as well as a search for treatment. When Melissa visited Mayo Clinic in January the physicians confirmed that main-street medicine does not have a cure for Pick's disease and since Melissa has been evaluated as a candidate for oxygen therapy.
As her family we would like to thank you for taking the time to read her story and for any help you can provide! We appreciate it if you are able to share her story.
Her diagnosis by Mayo Clinic doctors is the first time they have seen it in a person so young. Pick's disease starts by effecting the person's ability to put their thoughts into words making it difficult to speak. As the disease progresses the brain experiences increase in shrinkage and more common dementia symptoms follow!
Melissa's story. Melissa is the middle child in a family of seven kids. Growing up in the upper peninsula of Michigan she was an active and extremely outgoing person. She graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2013 with a teaching degree. As a high school english teacher Melissa went back to her alma mater, Calumet High School, where she taught high school english and history for two years before getting married and moving to Marquette, Michigan. She continued teaching for two more years at Marquette high school.
Melissa married Ryan Beckman in July of 2015. Two years later she gave birth to her son Gabriel. Ryan and her family began noticing Melissa's symptoms during her pregnancy in 2017. What was first diagnosed as depression, as she struggled more and more to communicate, was eventually diagnosed as Picks in January 2019.
Melissa has spent her whole life smiling and helping others. She was also an avid runner having ran four marathons in recent years. She loved interacting with students and making a difference in their lives. Whether it was dressing up to become a character in the book she was reading with her English class or staying late to help students. Melissa gave her whole heart in everything she did in her life.
The Present: Since Melissa began seeking help in getting her diagnosis starting in 2017 her medical bills have become a heavy load. At this point her family is hoping to raise $10,000 to help pay for her bills as well as a search for treatment. When Melissa visited Mayo Clinic in January the physicians confirmed that main-street medicine does not have a cure for Pick's disease and since Melissa has been evaluated as a candidate for oxygen therapy.
As her family we would like to thank you for taking the time to read her story and for any help you can provide! We appreciate it if you are able to share her story.
Organizer and beneficiary
Rick Curtis
Organizer
Osceola, MI
Ryan Beckman
Beneficiary