Our incredible mom, Charissa, is facing one of the toughest battles of her life. What initially was dismissed for years by her and doctors and misdiagnosed by others, turned out to be a diagnosis of Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS)

One Fall morning, in October 2024, she woke up unable to move the left side of her body, sending us into a whirlwind of medical tests and MRI scans. We then discovered our mom had been living with over 20 lesions on her brain. A stark indication of how long she had lived with it undiagnosed and the aggressive nature of her condition.

This news has shattered our hearts, especially as we’ve discovered that she has unknowingly fought this relentless autoimmune disease for most of her adult life. Further scans revealed active lesions in her thoracic spine and damage to the cervical cord. In March 2025, she will begin an infusion treatment to help halt the progression of her symptoms. While this treatment offers hope, there is no cure for Multiple Sclerosis, and it cannot undo the damage already done. She has worked hard to rewire her brain in order to regain the use of her left side. She continues to endure imbalance, weakness, heat sensitivity, fatigue, along with many other symptoms that accompany MS — painful reminders of a decades-long battle that was misdiagnosed for far too long.

However, if there’s one thing we’ve learned from our mom, it’s the power of resilience. Our mom, Charissa, is a true warrior. Now, an MS Warrior. Despite the overwhelming odds, she has worked tirelessly to regain control of her body, pushing through numerous flares and relapses, often dismissed as other ailments. Now we see them for what they truly were—a testament to her strength and perseverance. She says she considers the diagnosis to be a blessing, because now that we have a diagnosis we can fight back.

Our family now turns to you, asking for your prayers and your support. Your kindness and generosity will help our mom continue her fight against RRMS. Donations will be put towards past and present medical bills as well as ensuring she receives her infusions every six months. We will be making some medically needed additions to our home. An HVAC unit and Air Purification among other improvements to make sure she receives the care and treatment she needs. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to giving our mom the quality of life she deserves. 

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading our mom's story and for helping us to help her.