Christmas has come early for a South African who will receive a life-saving operation… thanks to the community around her!
Megan Hunter was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis (MG) at 15 years old, and has been battling this disease with a smile.
MG is a neuromuscular disorder that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles, which are the muscles your body uses for movement. It occurs when communication between nerve cells and muscles becomes impaired. This impairment prevents crucial muscle contractions from occurring, resulting in muscle weakness.
“My name is Megan, being chronically ill is something I would never choose, nor would I wish it onto my worst enemy.”
Looking at her, you would never know that there is anything wrong. Megan looks like a “normal” 30 year old but she has been battling this disease for too long.
Just this year alone, Megan has had to have uterine cancer and an ovary removed, along with a tough battle with PCP Pneumomia which resulted in an open lung biopsy, following her Rituximab treatment last year. She has also been admitted into ICU on a monthly basis for roughly 5 days at a time to have plasmapheresis.
And now her only hope at any “normality” or even a guarantee at making it to the end of the year lies in having a stem cell transplant. Her medical aid has denied this twice saying that this is seen as an “experimental treatment”. This has not yet been done in South Africa, but there have been fantastic results overseas.
Rare Diseases South Africa started a crowdfunding campaign to raise R250,000 to allow Megan to have this treatment & in the space of a couple of weeks, just a day before an event she put together to try get some funds in, they have surpassed the goal!
The community have literally saved Megan and she will get the life-saving operation that will give her a shot at a healthy, strong life!
All extra funds that are raised will be donated to Rare Diseases SA so they can continue their amazing work in advocating for patients like Megs.
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