The kind-hearted friends of a Leixlip woman with ALS are rallying together to raise money for her life-saving treatment.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as motor neuron disease, has been in the news lately with former RTE journalist Charlie Bird sharing his journey after receiving his life-changing diagnosis.
Michelle Murphy was diagnosed with ALS - a progressive nervous system disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord - in July 2021.
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The disease progressed quickly leaving the 39-year-old dependent on a motorised wheelchair with limited use of her arms and hands.
Friend Sinead Walsh wrote on her GoFundMe page: "It is so hard to comprehend how such an active young woman has transitioned to this life so quickly. She is the strongest person we know."
Michelle hopes to travel to Miami, Florida to start treatment at a clinic called BodyScience which is "conducting pioneering work and have had some massively positive results with ALS patients they are treating", Sinead added.
"These trips will be extremely challenging financially, given the cost of medical treatment in the US, and there is no form of medical insurance which covers any element.
"Michelle is advanced in her symptoms and will require much assistance during the trip including transport, special facility accommodation and specialised care, in addition to the medical fees. We expect that the cost of all this will reach in excess of €300,000.
"We have created this page to give Michelle’s many friends, and those people with whom this story resonates, the opportunity to help support her with this journey. We hope and pray that this will be life changing for her."
You can donate here to help raise vital funds for Michelle's treatment.
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