Nicole Corry is a lucky woman. This was not always the case after being diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2006.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
During the next five years she underwent all of the conventional treatments available to patients in Australia with little effect. She lost her ability to walk and was forced to leave the job she loved. Simple daily tasks such as carrying a cup of coffee across the room were almost impossible.
What makes Nicole lucky is that she is one of only eight patients in Australia who received a haematopoietic stem cell transplant, or HSCT in their own country. The treatment, which Nicole describes as life changing, is no longer available here.
She has now written a book which shares her journey from a personal perspective from diagnosis towards an effective treatment for her illness. The Journey covers the different therapies available as well as the more personal aspects of living with a chronic debilitating illness.
The Journey culminates with the successful transplant which took place in late 2011. At the time the treatment was available under medicare, but that is no longer the case. MS Australia considers the treatment to be experimental and while there is no official data available there are many sufferers who are now travelling overseas, at great expense, for the treatment.
This is frustrating for Nicole is who living proof that the treatment works. Since the transplant she has gone from not being able to walk to being back in the workforce. Her MS is in remission, she no longer takes any medications for the disease and her wheelchair is gathering dust in the shed. In fact all eight of the patients who had the transplant in Australia have had the same outstanding result as Nicole.
The book entitled “Multiple Sclerosis and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant : One Patients Journey” is available at Amazon.com or by contacting Nicole by email at nicole.corry@yahoo.com. Copies of the book have also been donated to libraries in Guyra and Armidale. It will also be available for Kindle in the coming weeks.
Nicole is happy to share her experiences and anyone who wants to find out more can contact her by email.