Brynn is a Barrhaven resident with an incredible story – let’s all make sure it has a happy ending.
The following is a guest post from a Barrhaven resident who needs the community’s help and support. Brynn suffers from Muscular Dystrophy and requires stem cell treatments to help her live a productive life. She has organized her very own golf tournament to help raise funds for her treatments. This is a great opportunity to help make sure that this story has a happy ending. If possible, please take a moment and share this post on Facebook and Twitter. Let’s make this happen for Brynn!
I was an active child, playing hockey, riding my bike and walking to the Barrhaven corner store to get Popsicles. Unbeknownst to me, while swimming in my family’s pool, my mom noticed that my right shoulder blade was winging out. Very soon after the left side was doing the same. After extensive hospital visits, I was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. Unfortunately our Canadian health care system couldn’t offer me anything to slow the progression of the disease.
Like many people who suffer from debilitating disease, the future was scary. The unknown was forever looming. Knowing the disease and what it did was the first step in trying to figure out other avenues of slowing down the progression. This lead me to all sorts of alternative medicines, including the latest which is stem cell therapy.
Stem cells are unprogrammed cells, therefore they can become any tissue in your body. There are many types of treatments; stem cells can be taken from bone marrow, blood, placenta and fat. We have thousands upon thousands of dormant stem cells in our fat tissues. They can be removed, separated, purified and activated. When injected into the body, they begin to repair immediately. This is first noticed in the quick healing around the site where the stem cells were removed.
There have been tests performed on patients with COPD, a lung disease, where patients were injected with stem cells. What happened next is quite remarkable. The stem cells began to cluster in the lungs. The distress in the lungs, showing as inflammation, acted as a type of beacon for the stem cells. Noticeable improvements happened within weeks.
Stem cells are our bodies own medicine. They can help treat many disease and injuries. Because the treatments are not available in Canada, I must travel to the US to receive the therapy. It is quite expensive and tiring to travel all that way, but I have noticed a substantial increase in energy. I’m more sturdy, have bulkier muscles and what I can only explain as quick nerve reaction.
We are fortunate to have The Sprott Centre here in Ottawa, the biggest hub of stem cell research in Canada. Unfortunately they are years away from beginning human trails. We as a people need to support their research. A loved one could need the treatment one day, and we need to have it available.
In the meantime, my only option is to pay out of pocket and receive the treatment out of country. Because of all the awesome results that I’ve had and continue to have, I would like to continue to receive these treatments. Unfortunately I cannot do it without the support of my community. Any little bit helps, it all goes towards my health and maintaining an independent life and giving back.
I’ve organized a fund raising event called Golf for Brynn. It’s a golf tournament that will be taking place on September 10, 2014 at The Meadows Golf and Country Club. Shot gun start, prizes, yummy food and a raffle for a Broil King BBQ are just part of what will be a fun day for all. The event will also feature a great silent auction.
Please come out and join us! You can also help by spreading my message of awareness, inviting others to the Golf tournament or donating online at www.stemcellsforbrynn.com
Thank you for reading my post. I look forward to seeing everyone on September 10th.
Brynn
