OVER £48,000 has been raised in just three days to support specialist treatment for a North Belfast man diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.
Christopher Armstrong (29) from the Antrim Road was diagnosed with the debilitating disease in November last year.
Efforts are now underway to raise £50,000 to fund life-changing treatment at a clinic in Miami which specialises in neurodegenerative diseases.
A Go Fund Me page, set up by Christopher’s sister-in-law Ruth Johnson on Monday this week has raised £48,475 at the time of writing.
“Christopher and my sister met and fell madly in love in Dubai when they were both teaching at a school there,” explained Ruth.
“From there, they travelled the world together and embraced every experience Dubai had to offer.
“In October 2019, shortly after a trip to Cambodia, Chris noticed numbness and slowing dexterity in some fingers in his right hand.
“After some tests, he was given a diagnosis of Parsonage Turner Syndrome, of course, this we now know was not accurate.
“Regardless, symptoms slowly began to worsen and early 2020 he fatigued easily and fine motor tasks such as doing up a tie were a struggle. But, due to his previous diagnosis this was brushed aside as stress due to work.
“In August 2020, Chris and Laura came back to Edinburgh for a visit and he proposed to her.
“We were all over the moon and they were on cloud nine but in the back of their minds, they were worrying daily as Christopher’s right arm was becoming increasingly weaker. Holding a pint of his beloved Guinness was starting to become too much.”
Christopher received more tests in Dubai in September before the shattering diagnosis was made upon a Christmas trip back home.
“Laura and Christopher decided in November 2020 on their Christmas trip home to seek a UK specialist's opinion,” continued Ruth.
“After multiple nerve conduction studies and MRI, they were delivered the horrendous news of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
“I cannot even put into words how world shattering this was for them both and us as their families and their friends.
“The sheer devastation and unimaginable pain this has caused. How could this be happening to a 29-year-old, healthy and fit man? A man who has never done any wrong in his life, ever.
Christmas is Chris' favourite time of year, but Christmas 2020 was not a joyous time. It was full of tearful and soul-destroying conversations.
“After much deliberation and doctors telling him to sort his affairs and enjoy what time he had left, they decided to return to Dubai in January and pack their lives up and return home to the UK.
“Christopher must be one of the most passionate people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, not just in life but also in his work," added Ruth.
“He is a truly gifted teacher and says he will continue to teach until he no longer can.”
Due to the aggressiveness of the disease, Christopher now requires oxygen at night to aid sleep quality and requires help from Laura with many day-to-day tasks.
Ruth is now hoping a clinic in Miami which specialises in Neurodegenerative Diseases may be able to help Chris.
“The clinic believe that Chris may be suffering from a mutated Lyme Disease which attacks the central nervous system and mimics ALS symptoms.
“They think he may have contracted this from a tick bite from his trip to Cambodia four weeks prior to symptom onset. This is checked through a blood test which Laura and Chris are currently sending back to Miami where they have a highly specialised lab to investigate this.
“If it is Lyme, this can be stopped in its tracks with a costly but aggressive IV antibiotic treatment and cellular repair regime. This would allow for neurone repair and muscle to be able to be rebuilt and another shot at life for Christopher.
“But we also know there’s a chance it may still be ALS. If it is, then this clinic is also still able to help him. They are able to offer targeted ALS regimes which would prolong his life expectancy and quality of life, through intensive rehabilitation programmes, physiotherapy and cellular body detox programmes, which is not available in the UK.
“Chris deserved a chance and I am appealing for people to help. We are so grateful to everyone who has donated so far.”
You can donate to the Go Fund Page here.
