Help Matthew Wallace & Family

Goal:

 USD $25,000

Raised:

 USD $14,287

Campaign created by Wendy Wallace

Campaign funds will be received by Matthew Wallace

Help Matthew Wallace & Family

Matthew Wallace was living as any 26-year-old husband and father of two should be. 2 months earlier, his wife Samantha had given birth to their second child. They were a happy Christian family, finally finding some normalcy in their family of four. We are seeking prayers and financial support to help Matt with his medical and living expenses. My name is Wendy Wallace and Matthew is my son.
 
On April 30th, their lives turned completely upside down. Sam got a call from Matt's work, that he had been sent to the ER. His employer thought he was having a seizure. Doctors struggled to find a cause for what was happening but diagnosed him with a rare neurological disorder called Cervical Dystonia. 

Dystonia makes his nerves misfire, causing the whole left side of his body to spasm, twist, and tighten, leaving his left eye closed, his speech slurred, unable to speak, a leg drag, and sometimes too weak to hold himself up. These violent spasms are similar to a Charlie horse, and jolt his head from side to side or front to back. This disorder is progressing rapidly and essentially came out of nowhere. 

In the beginning, the dystonia was centralized in his neck. Within 30 days, it had spread and is currently affecting his whole left side. Spasms occur in his neck, both eyes, chest, arms, and legs, and often cause him to pass out. This disorder is so uncommon that relief, albeit temporary, can only come through trial and error. As of August 30th, they still do not have a doctor who knows the disorder enough to properly treat him. He's gone through numerous CAT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds. 

Matt is currently on short-term disability, and Samantha is a full-time stay-at-home mom and Matt's full-time caregiver. Disability only pays 60% of his regular salary, excluding overtime which was an instrumental part of Matt's salary.

Since dystonia is not common, he needs to find a neurologist who specializes in its treatment. They're making progress, and have an appointment with a movement specialist, but not until October.

We're seeking to raise funds for medical expenses, food, and living expenses for the family. We are also seeking prayers that they can find a caring doctor and a treatment that will enable Matthew to go back to work and live a normal life. There is no cure. But we know that with a proper treatment plan, he can find some normalcy in his life. 

Thank you in advance for your prayers and your contribution to Matthews’s dystonia journey. I pray for God's richest blessings on our efforts to help him find a treatment plan and a normal life. We also ask that you share this fundraising campaign with other believers. God gives and blesses us so that we can bless others. Thank you for your help. 


Recent Donations
Show:
Anonymous Giver
$ 125.00 USD
16 days ago

Praying daily for you guys :)

Anonymous Giver
$ 2500.00 USD
25 days ago

Happy New Year! May 2025 bring you the help and support you deserve. Stay strong, have faith, and never lose hope.

Semonna McNeil
$ 20.00 USD
1 month ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 50.00 USD
1 month ago

Prayers for you and your family

Gregory Currier
$ 100.00 USD
1 month ago

Praying for a Christmas miracle

Anonymous Giver
$ 5000.00 USD
1 month ago

Love from your Grandmother Gail’s only cousin.

A colarusso
$ 50.00 USD
1 month ago

Thoughts and prayers go out to Matthew and family

Anonymous Giver
$ 10.00 USD
1 month ago

Anjanette Milletics
$ 50.00 USD
1 month ago

God bless

Anonymous Giver
$ 250.00 USD
1 month ago

From all of us at Turning Point Christian Fellowship and our family. Many prayers and much love to you and your family.

Ty an Lindsey
$ 1000.00 USD
1 month ago

Love you guys

Tammy Dyer
$ 50.00 USD
1 month ago

Prayers for answers and relief for Matthew and his family.

Anonymous Giver
$ 50.00 USD
1 month ago

I just recently came across by this fundraising appeal. Currently going through my own spinal stenosis issues for 8+ months following a fall and vertebral surgery, I can only imagine Matt's frustration. I pray for a treatment plan that will return him to a manageable life of movement. God Bless you all!

VicnDee torres
$ 100.00 USD
1 month ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 100.00 USD
1 month ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 200.00 USD
1 month ago

Sharon Haire
$ 100.00 USD
3 months ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 500.00 USD
4 months ago

Praying these hard times will be used to draw you closer in faith to the Lord Jesus. And the Holy Spirit will strengthen and keep you close to Him after you are healed! In Jesus name we ask for a complete healing!

Anonymous Giver
$ 75.00 USD
4 months ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 100.00 USD
4 months ago

God bless you all in this journey. I pray the October meeting comes with a mutually agreeable treatment plan to go forward.

Updates

Update - January 24, 2025

January 24th, 2025

Hello friends! I apologize that it's taken so long since my last update on Matthew's health. Sadly, the reason for the gaps in the updates, is that it takes him so long to be seen by the people who know best how to treat him. After 8 months, he finally saw the neurologist who specializes in general dystonia, only to be told that Matt does not have dystonia at all.

The doctor diagnosed him with something called Functional Neurological Disorder or FND. Dystonia is a symptom of FND and they are very similar. Basically, his brain and body aren’t communicating the way they should. According to fndhope.org, “most experts advocate a multi-disciplinary approach to Fnd treatment because of the variety of symptoms the disorder encompasses.”

As you can imagine, this presents more confusion about what’s next. The closest doctor who can help him is in St Louis, which is 3 hours away. He'll need treatment 3 to 4 times a week, which poses a logistical challenge. Matthew and Samantha are in the process of scheduling another opinion.

Lord willing, they’ll have answers to treatment options very soon, so he can get underway. The goal is to get an action plan that will enable him to control the symptoms and live a normal life. I'll keep you updated when there's news. We all thank you for your continued prayers, and support. They mean so much more than you know.💖

Update 10/8/24

October 8th, 2024

Hi friends! I wanted to update you on the lack of success that Matthew has been having with the doctors. I had mentioned in my last update that we were all putting all our eggs in an appointment he had waited 5 months for that was held last week, on October 3rd. We were under the impression that this doctor was a neurologist and a movement specialist specializing in dystonia. But he wasn't a neurologist, and he only specializes in cervical dystonia, which focuses on just the neck. Matt’s dystonia has moved beyond his neck, is throughout his entire body now, and is considered to be "generalized dystonia," which a doctor of cervical dystonia is not qualified to treat.

He has an appointment in February with Kansas University Medical Center with an actual neurologist, and we are confirming that he is qualified to treat this particular kind of dystonia. As you can imagine, with each doctor visit that results in no treatment plan, Matt, Sam, and our entire family are becoming more discouraged.

We know that bigger hospitals like the Mayo Clinic (Minnesota,) Mass General (Boston,) and a few other hospitals can treat generalized dystonia. They are an option, however, traveling with his physical problems and under his circumstances and the expenses involved make it difficult, but not impossible. We will do everything we can to help him get the treatment he needs. We are investigating those hospitals to be certain that he can be treated before we make any plans to get him there.

We are ever so thankful for the prayers, and the financial support that he has received thus far, and we ask that you please continue in your support. This is a long journey for him and his family. Although it seems like they keep running into walls and getting very few answers, we know that when God closes the door, He opens a window. We also strongly believe in the power of prayer and God's healing. The Lord has a plan, and through this journey, He will receive honor, glory, and praise. Thank you so very much! In Christian love, Wendy Wallace, (Matt's mom.)


Update 9/14/24

September 14th, 2024

I wanted to send out an update to let you know what is going on with Matthew. Sadly, at this point he's not making progress. He met with a new neurologist this week, who was for starters, not all that aware of dystonia. But also because of an upcoming appointment on October 3rd, decided that other Dr would be better suited to treat him.

We are truly putting all our eggs in the October 3rd appointment basket. It is with a neurologist who's also a movement specialist and specializes in dystonia. This is highly encouraging to us. Since his diagnosis, which was basically discovered by his wife, Samantha, they haven't been able to find a Dr who can truly treat him. The health care system in Missouri has been so very disappointing. Between not sending referrals to not really taking the time to care for their patient, and writing him off as not worthy of their time, it's been very discouraging.

We covet your prayers. Our prayer is that Matt can finally have a treatment plan that can help him manage his spasms in a manner that can truly get him back to a normal quality of life so that he can eventually go back to work and continue to provide for his family.

We are so appreciative of your thoughts and prayers, your kind words, and your financial help. Please continue to spread the word as this is a long-term uphill battle.

I will post a new update once he sees the movement specialist in October. May God bless you.


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