Health / Flights booked for woman’s Mexico MS treatment after fundraising target reached
A family-friendly fundraising event is due to be held at the Gulberwick Hall on 7 April
A WOMAN originally from Shetland says she is “one step closer” to MS treatment in Mexico after booking flights.
Heidi Obern, who now lives in Golspie, is set to jet off to start the treatment at end of May.
Shetland News previously reported how a fundraising campaign to cover the costs of the treatment attracted plenty of donations.
The target of £10,000 has now been passed, although the total cost is expected to be around £60,000.
Thirty eight year old Obern, who grew up in Shetland’s southend before moving to the Scottish mainland for college at the age of 21, was given the MS diagnosis in February.
It came after an unexpected turn for the worse in December when she woke up and had difficulty walking.
After finding out she has an aggressive form of MS (multiple sclerosis), Obern pinpointed haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Mexico as a possible solution as it is not readily available through the NHS.
The hope is that the process – which involves chemotherapy and removing and treating stem cells before returning them to the body – would halt the MS, basically giving her a new immune system.
Speaking this week Obern said “everything is moving in the right direction in terms of getting to Mexico”.
She is having to fly business class back from Mexico to give her greater protection as she will not have an immune system.
“It’s a small price to pay for being hopefully fixed, or at least stop the progression,” Obern said.
Meanwhile more details have been confirmed of a family fun night at the Gulberwick Hall which will raise money for the campaign.
The event is taking place between 6pm and 9.30pm on Friday 7 April.
People will be asked to pay £5 entry for children aged between two and 17, and inside the hall will be activities like soft play, puzzles, quizzes, arts and crafts and football.
Also available will be facepainting, a raffle, teas and coffee and a bar.
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