Well, it's official, we will be fundraising for Keith's Stem Cell transplant. We received our 3rd and final denial letter from our insurance. But our hope and savior is not the insurance company! Our hope is in our Lord, and our savior is His son, Jesus Christ!!! So we move forward in faith.
Here is our fund raising letter. Feel free to share it or pass it on!
Dear family and friends,
I am writing on behalf of Keith, my sweet husband and wonderful father to our 4 boys: Jacob 19, Lucas 17, Jaden 14, and Josiah 10. We enjoy a busy family life, I work full time at Family Research Council (FRC), and Keith works hard as a farmer raising hay, straw, rye, pumpkins, and he also makes bead board in his shop which he sells to the local lumber yards. He also tackles a lot of the stuff at home like laundry, cooking, and running kids here and there. Recently, we noticed that a lot of his work and everyday life was becoming more and more difficult for him to do.
On April 7, 2015, Keith was diagnosed with MS, a neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system and disrupts the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Unfortunately Keith's MS is progressing quickly and we have seen little success from the medication he is currently taking. Since diagnosis, he has been battling double vision, numbness and tingling in his feet, legs, and arms, fatigue, brain fog, nausea, and a lot of weakness all over his body. It's been hard to watch someone we love be over taken with this awful disease.
We are blessed that Keith has been accepted into Dr. Richard K. Burt's Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT), where high dose chemotherapy is used in conjunction with one's own stem cells to "reboot" the immune system. HSCT erases the immune system's memory and basically hits the "reset button". This stops the underlying MS disease activity and allows the body a chance to repair itself. This will take place at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and can take up to 2 months time.
Unfortunately our insurance will not cover HSCT because it is still labeled as a trial and not FDA approved. We will need to raise $125,000.00 before they will begin the transplant. Keith will need to be off his medication for 3 months prior to transplant. So we stepped out in faith and Keith went off his medicine on October 2, and we are hopeful to start the transplant process in the beginning of 2016!
To help raise these funds, a friend has started a GoFundMe page in Keith's honor: www.gofundme.com/py55rxgk You can also send checks to our Church:
Faith United Reformed Church
Memo: Keith Nienhuis
8270 120th Ave
West Olive, MI 49460
For tax deductible donations, write checks to Faith URC with Benevolent Fund in the memo line.
As we travel this road, we covet your prayers, words of encouragement, love, and support. We are so thankful to be part of a loving family, church, and community.
"Now unto Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!-Amen."
Nichole Nienhuis
616-796-5949
nln@frc.org
