Our Mum’s Story. Can you ….. Imagine a life where you cannot feed yourself? Imagine a life whereby if you have an itch, a niggling annoying itch, you cannot scratch, or even toilet yourself? Imagine a life where you cannot read because you can’t turn the pages? A life where you cannot change the TV station, or listen to your favourite music? A life where you cannot move the control stick on your wheelchair to go outside and enjoy…. The morning sun. Imagine it. A life in which you cannot put your arms around your loved ones and give them a hug- a life where you have absolutely no control. No choice. No quality. Imagine a life where you are dependent upon everyone else to do absolutely everything for you… Everything. This is Galina’s reality. This is her life. Imagine it. And our reality, mine and my sister- a life not knowing what it is like to have a healthy mother. Imagine a life consumed by a constant, heart wrenching fear of losing the person you love most, of witnessing decades of slow, debilitating loss. Imagine a life riddled with fear, a constant fear that resonates in the depths of your heart of when will this insidious, unpredictable and cruel disease finally take over, completely and take her from you. Imagine that fear. The promise of loss that will inevitably be, but when…. This has been our life, all of our life. Our journey so far. Our Mum’s and ours. Galina, Our Mumma would have to be the most insatiable, loving, hysterically funny, courageous and brave woman that has ever been placed on this Earth. She has a spirit and will stronger than any other. A woman who used to swim in the ocean, walk on fire, read voraciously, and care for her family. 26 years ago at the age of 36 she was diagnosed with the insidious and unforgiving disease that is Multiple Sclerosis (MS). A young mother with two small girls aged 6 and 7. She was told by the neurologist that diagnosed her to return in a few years, when she was in a wheelchair, to receive steroid help for her symptoms. She never received any steroid treatment; there was nothing they could do for her. For the last 26 years this has been the management of Galina’s illness. No treatment, no medication, no hope. Just slow heart wrenching debilitation and struggle. Struggle for us all. The reality for us has been; that if you suffer from Secondary Progressive MS and are ‘too far gone’, there is no help, no treatment, no hope available to you. Imagine. Our Mumma is now a quadriplegic she has lost all mobility in her arms and legs. The disease has riddled her body, but her strength, humour and spirit continue to shine. Staying strong isn’t easy for any of us, by any means easy. It is hard, hard in every way imaginable. But our family has always preserved, in caring, loving and hoping. And now there IS hope, imagine! As time has progresses and the medical profession advanced, there are now more options to help those who suffer from diseases such as MS. Treatment available, available at a cost. New Stem Cell Therapy gives promise to suffers all over the world. It has been widely recognised and used with much success. For Galina, a Stem Cell Transplant could offer a halt in the progression of her illness, buying some more time, or even, just maybe, a possible remission in her disease. She could break through her MS, with arms that could hug and legs that could move. We are so excited by the possibility of perhaps giving Galina, our Mumma a better quality of life. She would live to see her daughters now women, become mothers of their own. She would live to see her grandchildren. Something we never thought possible. What a blessing that would be. We dare to hope… to imagine. Prior treatment is needed to get our Mum to a point of health so that she can access such therapy, with greater success. Treatment that is now available to her. But this hope comes at a price. A large financial commitment. It is our mission to raise the funds for our Mum to receive the treatment she needs. And at the least, to give her more time with us. We hope to raise enough funds to provide the care that is ultimately her last hope. Our last hope. And we need your help. Absolutely any donation at all to support our dream, to keep Galina, our Mumma here on this Earth with her family- well, more mobile, with a better quality of life- would be such a blessing, and whole heartedly appreciated. We truly thank you in advance, and ask that you please share this, to spread the word with those you think may be able to contribute and help. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Cara and Alana