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My name is Audrey Wrenn and I want to tell you about my journey with a rare autoimmune illness called MOG. It began in April of 2019 when I went from having normal vision to near blindness in 48 hours. Doctors at a Raleigh hospital ran a series of tests and diagnosed me with optic neuritis. They treated me with IV steroids for three days. Fortunately my vision was restored to near normal. Eventually, I was diagnosed with MOG.
MOG is an inflammatory disorder in the MS family that attacks the central nervous system. The onset of an attack targets the optic nerves, brain, and spinal cord. While there are no exact numbers, rough estimates indicate maybe 10,000 people in the US have MOG. Right now, there is no cure or medication designed specifically for treating patients with MOG.
Because MOG is extremely rare, there are no pharmaceutical or federal funds available to fund research into its cause and treatment. Because of this, philanthropy is incredibly important to help Dr. Sotirchos and his team get these studies off the ground. A potential pilot project would analyze abnormal white blood cells in the blood and spinal fluid from people with MOG and compare them to the white blood cells of a control group. This study would gain insight into the mechanisms that cause the cell abnormality and potentially identify targets that would lead to the creation of therapeutic treatments for the MOG illness. In addition, with the data from this study, he hopes to open the door to acquiring the additional funding needed to further the research of MOG on a larger scale.
Our goal is to raise the $100,000 needed to complete this two year pilot study. My husband Jim and I would like to invite you to join us in the monetary support for this important research. Please consider making a contribution to this very important study to discover how to treat and hopefully, someday, cure MOG disease.
