Friends and family have rallied around Kathryn Hunter and are holding a fundraising evening to help Kathryn’s fight against Lyme disease.
The fundraiser is at Acme Community Centre Saturday, April 5, 2014, starting at 5 p.m.
Donations for Kats Kause can also be dropped off at Shredz in downtown Drumheller.
Money raised will go toward Kathryn’s travel and medical treatment in the United States, and her other medical costs that aren’t covered by insurance.
Crystal Sereda, Kathryn’s sister, said the plan is for Kathryn to travel to Kansas to see a specialist.
The last five years have been especially tough on Kathryn, including two difficult pregnancies, and the past year has created enormous challenges for the families after Kathryn became extremely ill.
Crystal said her sister has received conflicting medical diagnoses, having been tested and treated for Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Kathryn’s a very talented hairdresser, but became so ill her whole body hurt, she started dropping weight quickly, and she got to the point where she had trouble at work holding the scissors and combing hair, Crystal explained.
It was at that point last August that Kathryn had to quit her work.
Crystal said she knew it wasn’t MS because her sister wasn’t getting any better, and it didn’t add up.
Hope came in the form of a local resident.
Crystal was aware of a local woman’s fight with Lyme disease, so contacted her and spoke with her over the period of a couple of months.
With the support of her parents, Kathryn met with the local lyme patient, who provided a blood collection kit to Kathryn.
Lyme was diagnosed after Kathryn sent the kit to IgeneX Laboratories in the United States for analysis in December.
She received the positive test results for Lyme disease and co-infections (parasites and other bacteria related to Lyme) in January.
“The doctor in Drumheller wanted to help, but didn’t have enough information, didn’t know anything about Lyme (disease) and how to treat it,” said Crystal.
Another hurdle was then trying to find a doctor to treat Kathryn.
“Doctors have lost their licensing practices in Canada for treating Lyme,” explained Crystal.
Kathryn finally found an Alberta doctor in mid-February, who recommended the treatment with the specialist in Kansas. Crystal said the aim was for Kathryn to make the trip in April, but it was put off until May on her doctor’s recommendation.
Kathryn is receiving B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and IV hydration, to get her strong enough to travel.
Crystal said Kathryn’s doctor will accompany her on the trip down to Kansas.
“Because every patient is so different, Kathryn and her doctor will learn from the specialist what the course of treatment would be.
Crystal said they’ll have to wait and see if her sister can even make it to the fundraiser.
“She’s really quite sick.”
“She just wants to be able to get out of bed and play with her kids. Or drive. Or clean her house.”
