MY ME CFS STORY.... Francesca Owens from Spoleto Italy
A wall street stock journalist contacted me for the story he is writing on the FDA Dec 20, 2012 Ampligen drug hearing. If you all have any ideas of where else we can get this story out, please let me know.
Here is what he has written so far about my piece but the article will be very long focusing on our illness and AMPLIGEN;
I have recently been in contact with one of the leading International patient advocates in ME(CFS). Her name is Francesca Owens. Francesca was contacted today by the FDA advisory committee for Ampligen and informed that her written testimony was accepted and will be reviewed by the committee prior to the Dec 20th meeting. Francesca’s story is unbelievable to say the least. Before ME(CFS) Francesca lived a life most could only hope for. She was a successful stockbroker, held a public office in Colorado for 9 years, wrote award winning grants to raise money for wildlife causes, was a competitive fitness champion, and had an internationally emerging art business helping wild tigers. With ME(CFS) Life changed this incredible life of an overachiever. ME(CFS) slowly began to rob her life as she knew it eventually losing everything she worked so hard for and ultimately becoming bedridden un able to perform the simplest tasks. It took 9 desperate years of suffering, uncontrollable infections, urinating pure blood, hospitalization after hospitalization, open heart surgery, post-surgery strokes, heart rhythm problems and losing eye sight through optical nerve damage. She also has cognitive impairment saying her “brain fog was so severe that she could not count change to pay for a cappuccino” Unlike patients with chronic debilitating disease such as Aids or Multiple Sclerosis, who upon diagnose start a treatment protocol, Francesca’s diagnoses was met with question marks. If approved, her Dr. would have immediately started her on Ampligen, instead, to keep her alive she was put on several experimental drugs borrowed from a variety of illnesses. Naltrexone, a drug for heroin addiction, valacyclovir used for herpes 1 and 2, HHV-4 and HHV-6 for Epstein Barr, prescription strength vitamin D and Imunovir for AIDS patients to help rebuild natural killer cells function. All of these medications have given her 4-6 hrs a day of a which she spends the majority of advocating for ME(CFS) research and treatment, helping patients around the world come to terms with the disease. She has a YouTube channel where she submits daily videos that chronicle her struggle and offer advice to other suffers. Francesca has even tried to get an Ampligen clinical trial started in Italy but because of the drugs status in the US, other countries are unable to help. Because the disease has been disregarded by CDC and FDA her former insurance company (which has since dropped her coverage) would not pick up the expense for all the medications, considering their not approved for ME(CFS). Imagine hearing the countless success stories of patients lucky enough to be enrolled in Ampligen clinical trials all the while sitting on the sidelines helpless. Most people complain about the wait time at their Doctors office or the side effects of whatever medication their on. Not ME(CFS) patients, they travel hours to see specialists, write letters to the president, or in Francesca ‘s case lobby a foreign country to start a clinical trial just to have access to medication. Francesca is one of 4 million people in the US and 17 million worldwide that deserve the chance to get their lives back. The advisory committee will vote to approve Ampligen on DEC. 20th because of the tremendous pressure these patients have applied. The FDA can start to repair the damage it’s done ignoring this disease for years simply by voting yes on Ampligen.
Francesca's life could again be a beautiful symphony and just maybe Ampligen will be her instrument. I for one think she’s worth it…
A wall street stock journalist contacted me for the story he is writing on the FDA Dec 20, 2012 Ampligen drug hearing. If you all have any ideas of where else we can get this story out, please let me know.
Here is what he has written so far about my piece but the article will be very long focusing on our illness and AMPLIGEN;
I have recently been in contact with one of the leading International patient advocates in ME(CFS). Her name is Francesca Owens. Francesca was contacted today by the FDA advisory committee for Ampligen and informed that her written testimony was accepted and will be reviewed by the committee prior to the Dec 20th meeting. Francesca’s story is unbelievable to say the least. Before ME(CFS) Francesca lived a life most could only hope for. She was a successful stockbroker, held a public office in Colorado for 9 years, wrote award winning grants to raise money for wildlife causes, was a competitive fitness champion, and had an internationally emerging art business helping wild tigers. With ME(CFS) Life changed this incredible life of an overachiever. ME(CFS) slowly began to rob her life as she knew it eventually losing everything she worked so hard for and ultimately becoming bedridden un able to perform the simplest tasks. It took 9 desperate years of suffering, uncontrollable infections, urinating pure blood, hospitalization after hospitalization, open heart surgery, post-surgery strokes, heart rhythm problems and losing eye sight through optical nerve damage. She also has cognitive impairment saying her “brain fog was so severe that she could not count change to pay for a cappuccino” Unlike patients with chronic debilitating disease such as Aids or Multiple Sclerosis, who upon diagnose start a treatment protocol, Francesca’s diagnoses was met with question marks. If approved, her Dr. would have immediately started her on Ampligen, instead, to keep her alive she was put on several experimental drugs borrowed from a variety of illnesses. Naltrexone, a drug for heroin addiction, valacyclovir used for herpes 1 and 2, HHV-4 and HHV-6 for Epstein Barr, prescription strength vitamin D and Imunovir for AIDS patients to help rebuild natural killer cells function. All of these medications have given her 4-6 hrs a day of a which she spends the majority of advocating for ME(CFS) research and treatment, helping patients around the world come to terms with the disease. She has a YouTube channel where she submits daily videos that chronicle her struggle and offer advice to other suffers. Francesca has even tried to get an Ampligen clinical trial started in Italy but because of the drugs status in the US, other countries are unable to help. Because the disease has been disregarded by CDC and FDA her former insurance company (which has since dropped her coverage) would not pick up the expense for all the medications, considering their not approved for ME(CFS). Imagine hearing the countless success stories of patients lucky enough to be enrolled in Ampligen clinical trials all the while sitting on the sidelines helpless. Most people complain about the wait time at their Doctors office or the side effects of whatever medication their on. Not ME(CFS) patients, they travel hours to see specialists, write letters to the president, or in Francesca ‘s case lobby a foreign country to start a clinical trial just to have access to medication. Francesca is one of 4 million people in the US and 17 million worldwide that deserve the chance to get their lives back. The advisory committee will vote to approve Ampligen on DEC. 20th because of the tremendous pressure these patients have applied. The FDA can start to repair the damage it’s done ignoring this disease for years simply by voting yes on Ampligen.
Francesca's life could again be a beautiful symphony and just maybe Ampligen will be her instrument. I for one think she’s worth it…