Health & Fitness
Essex County Woman Launches Fundraiser For Experimental Crohn’s Disease Treatment
An Essex County woman is about to embark on an experimental treatment in Europe, but she needs some help from the community first.
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County resident and Crohn’s disease patient Kelly Owens is at a crossroads. The 28-year-old has been on every form of medication for 15 years - tried every alternative treatment – but nothing has helped her to relieve the painful symptoms that are keeping her from returning to work as a teacher.
So now, she’s about to try something radical… the Vagus Nerve Implant.
Owens, a former English and special education teacher in Hawaii who lives in Montclair, recently reached out to Patch in advance of her treatment in an effort to raise awareness about the disease and to ask for help in her own quest to fight Crohn’s.
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“The only option we have left is a clinical trial that is taking place in Europe for something called the Vagus Nerve Implant, developed by a neurosurgeon out of Long Island,” she explained. “The trial requires me to be in Amsterdam for six months, and I'll be getting a surgery for the implant, which works similar to a pacemaker.”
But Owens said that she now find herself asking a question that many others in the Essex County community are sure to understand: How do I get the money?
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“The problem is that we're already in a bad spot financially, and can't afford to spend six months there,” Owens said. “However, if we don't go, at some point sooner than later, I will end up wheelchair-bound for the rest of my life.”
To help her defray the costs of her experimental treatment, Owens’ friends and family have started an online fundraiser, which can be seen here.
According to the fundraiser:
“Anyone that knows Kelly can attest to her indomitable cheer, her unending sunshine and warmth, and her infectious laugh. She inspires us all to be happier, to be better at today, through her beautiful example. We humbly ask and would greatly appreciate any support to get Kelly back into remission and the classroom.”
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Photo: YouCaring, used with permission
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