A Cochrane woman with multiple sclerosis is heading to Mexico for a controversial stem cell treatment and is hoping the procedure will reduce her symptoms so she can live a better life.
Shelly Irmen, 44, has severe tremors now that the auto-immune disease has attacked her central nervous system.
Irmen needs help just to feed herself and says the disease is affecting how she parents her two young children.
There is no treatment for her form of MS here so she is heading south to seek help.
She found a doctor in Mexico who uses fetal stem cells to help fix damaged nerves and reverse symptoms.
“I’m a little bit of everything. I’m excited, I am nervous,” said Irmen. “I’m afraid. My goal really is I want this tremor to be gone and I don’t know if there’s anything out there that’s going to take it away and let me live an independent life.”
“Stem cell treatments are extremely complicated and the benefits can be quite high and so it's attractive to the individual but the risks are also quite significant too,” said Darrel Gregory, Director MS Society of Canada, Calgary Chapter.
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada warns people about seeking treatment out of the country and says they should consult with their Canadian doctor first.
Irmen will have the stem cell treatment next month and has created a GoFundMe page to help cover costs.
Click HERE for more information and to make a donation.
(With files from Brad MacLeod)
