EMC News - Is there hope at the next exit? According to multiple sclerosis sufferer Tim Donovan there is. He's on a mission to cross Canada to bring awareness through his 'New Hope for Multiple Sclerosis 2011 Canada Tour'.

On Thursday, June 23, Donovan spoke to a group of approximately 75 people mostly those afflicted with multiple sclerosis, at CJ's Banquet Hall, Brockville. He apprised those gathered as to why he's doing the tour (to avail the chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, CCSVI treatment in Canada for those with multiple sclerosis, as soon as possible), and to show people that the balloon angioplasty works. He's living proof.

"I had such a remarkable improvement and people around my local area (in New Brunswick) asked that I come to share with them," said Donovan. "So I did! For the next couple of months I was travelling and it kept expanding."

Although controversy surrounds the CCSVI treatment and neurologists are skeptical as to the long term effects, people, like Tim Donovan support this life changing surgery because it has made a difference in his quality of life.

CCSVI is a condition which limits the blood flow from the major veins. With this blockage or collapse of the veins it impedes the flow of blood to the brain and spinal cord.

The connection between CCSVI and multiple sclerosis is not fully understood, but results to over 12,000 worldwide sufferers, who have received the venous angioplasty, have improvements in their day to day lives.

Donovan along with many others wants to bring awareness to their plight, want Canada to start the trials, and want the treatment offered here.

TREATMENT

On Aug. 5, 2010 Donovan went out of country to Albany, New York to have the angioplasty procedure that his own country Canada could not or would not give to him.

Donovan was on a waiting list for only three months before he got the call.

His community of 900 people raised $10,400 for his treatment.

"If it wasn't for this treatment I would be in a nursing home today," stated Donovan. "I had enormous fatigue, cognitive issues, relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis and half the year I can not stand up. When I'm in relapse I'm real bad. When I'm in remission I'm pretty good and I can furniture walk and walk around things, that's where I was a year ago."

Donovan was in the hospital for three and a half months prior to going to Albany, New York, he could not stand.

He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1987.

When asked how he found out about the procedure he replied while in the hospital.

"I was laying in my hospital bed when two nurses ran into my room and said I had to come and see what was on television," indicated Donovan. "I said well, I can't get up. So they picked me up, put me into a wheelchair and pushed me out to watch Dr. Zamboni (an Italian vascular surgeon) on W5. That's the first time I'd heard about this and thought maybe now we have something that will help treat us, because my life was over. They (nurses) said are you going to check this out and I said, absolutely, I'm going to check this out and I did."

The problem Donovan has with the Canadian doctors is that they are saying it does not work in the long term and they can not give treatment without trials. Trials take time.

Normally the treatment would be available to individuals, but once doctors find out that the patient has multiple sclerosis, they will not proceed with the angioplasty.

"This procedure is done in "This procedure is done in

every major hospital in Canada every day," remarked Donovan. "If you have multiple sclerosis you have to see a neurologist in order to see a vascular surgeon. That's a flawed system. In my opinion, I'm not a doctor but I should be able to go to a plumber (vascular people) without having to call an electrician (neurologists) first. That's not possible in my Canada and I'm ashamed."

Donovan says he knows the treatment worked for him.

"It's emotional even after all these months. I got off the table in the hospital and I had my balance back immediately," said Donovan. "I said to my wife, I think my balance is back and told her it could be a placebo affect. It was not a placebo affect. My wife said something else has changed and I said, 'what?' my face was always white, she said the colour is back in your face. That makes sense. They opened up the blood flow and the colour came back."

An estimated 75 thousand Canadians presently battle with multiple sclerosis, not counting those who have lost their battle and those that have succumb to suicide.

According to Donovan the suicide rate for MS is seven times the national average.

Donovan said that he has not had any relapses since the procedure but indicated that this is not a cure and for those that have the treatment the results may not be the same.

There's also a possiblity the veins and arteries can block up again. But according to what Donovan indicated the procedure can be done any number of times, but not in Canada.

Family

"My wife has had MS also," stated an emotional Donovan. "She has not had the physical MS, but she has had to live with MS for the last 25 years. She has had to do all things around the house that I could not do and she deserves credit. She had to work when I couldn't work. She has had to pay the bills that I could not pay. She can not sit through these meetings as it brings back too many memories of what has gone on in my life, but don't get too upset as things are much better."

As for his family and grandchildren Donovan misses them while being on the road. He has three identical male grandchildren, nicknamed the "Tim-bits and a granddaughter, who he surprised one day while in Fredericton. He waited at his daughter's home for the school bus to drop off them off.

"Those four kids got off the school bus and said, grandpa. It was a thrill for me to stand up and hug my grandchildren. That's why I'm excited that this (treatment) works."

While speaking on the 23rd, Donovan was also waiting word from his wife about another grandchild to be born in Auckland, New Zealand.

People

Donovan presented the group with a slideshow of his travels and the people that he has encountered.

Donovan shared his conversations he had with other MS sufferers.

"Everywhere I go I meet people like you," said Donovan. "You know what? People are the same no matter where I go. People care."

Donovan goes out of his way to see and speak to MS sufferers.

A woman at one of his stops asked Donovan to come see her brother as he was unable to attend the meeting. Donovan and his travelling partners drove an hour and a half out of their way to see this person.

"I walked into the room and I could not handle what I saw," admitted Donovan. "A young man 47 years old was lying in a bed who could not brush his own teeth because of MS. He could not get out of bed and he has 24 hour a day care. And my Canada and your Canada are letting him lay there. They are not treating him. I grabbed his hand and I said, 'John, I'm going to make you a promise. I'm not going to stop until we get this treatment in Canada.' He said 'thank-you Tim."

PROVINCES COMMITTED

In New Brunswick, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Newfoundland and Labrador, these political communities have finally realized that there is a need for funding and have committed.

"I'm proud to be a New Brunswicker, as they have done something about MS," mentioned Donovan.

As of the end of June, Ontario is now on board.

"Don't tell me this does not work," said Donovan. "A year and a half ago, my life was over and I've had doctors tell me there are over 400 cures for MS and none of them worked for me. Did you know that the autoimmune theory is just that? It's a theory! We have a new hope, a treatment that works, it's not the same for everybody."

http://www.emcstlawrence.ca/20110728/news/Hope+is+around+corner,+speaker+says