THE wife of a popular British expat who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis last year with has launched an urgent appeal for funding to help get her husband on a new form of treatment.
Popular plasterer/builder Paul Morrison and his wife Claire first moved to Almeria 13-years-ago, before a diagnosis shocked the couple and their three children Charlotte, Ben and Alvaro, last year.
Paul was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis last April; a disease which now forces him to walk with crutches and has also affected a number of other aspects of his day to day life.
Paul’s wife, Claire, speaking exclusively to the EURONews247: “We’ve had the year from hell; we just desperately need everybody’s help for our family.
“His (Paul’s) speech has deteriorated and more frequently he can’t get his words out and struggles to keep up with conversations.
“His spatial awareness has gone so simple tasks like cooking are a challenge.
“Some days are worse than others and these symptoms are just the tip of the iceberg.
“For a man who worked six days a week in a physical job this is life crushing. The impact on our family is immense.
“From a stay at home Mum I now work full time to keep the family afloat.
Forty-five-year-old Paul currently undergoes a treatment known as Disease Modifying Treatment (DMT) which requires him to have injections every 48 hours as well as taking a number of daily tablets.
But with his situation deteriorating, the family has applied for Paul to have a more intense chemotherapy treatment known as Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in Moscow.
Claire continued: “The treatment has been available to a small number of sufferers in London and Sheffield and it will soon be recognised as an established treatment in the UK but we cannot wait.
“Paul is progressing at a rapid rate and he will soon be in a wheelchair.
“This has forced us and many other MS sufferers to go abroad as time is of the essence. We have spoken to neurologists far and wide and this is our best and only chance to halt the disease.
“Paul applied to Moscow, one of the leading HSCT clinics at the forefront of stem cell treatment and the good news is Paul has a place but this comes at a price.”
Paul is set to begin his treatment in early August, but the cost of everything including treatment and care comes to €45,700 (£40,000).
Claire recently set-up a gofundme page to help raise the funds, with the site already raising more than €4,000 (£3,500).
A number of events to help raise funds will be held in the coming weeks, beginning with an initial launch party set to be held in Vera Playa on April 29, which will see participants walking 40,000 steps, coinciding with the 40,000 target.
To help the fund, or for more information, visit the ‘Paul’s Fight to Walk’ gofundme page at: www.gofundme.com/paulsfighttowalk
