Hi, I am Sherisse Alexander, a 27yr old young lady from Trinidad and Tobago. For approximately 7yrs now I have been living with Plexiform Neurofibroma which a rare and incurable nerve disorder.
​​My nerves are forming lumps or tumors which cause a lot of pain and discomfort on a daily basis. Over past approximately 7yrs I have tried several different types of treatment. Acupuncture, massage therapy, countless painkillers and nerve tablets, herbal medicine, exercising, reflexology and dieting. However, my health has continued to deteriorate.
At the age of 27 I am drastically underweight (71 pounds currently). I experience insomnia, great difficulty standing and walking and now have to use a cane for assistance. I have disc bulging and inflammation in my lumbar spine. I can no longer straighten my left knee due to lumps in that region and I am almost always in some sort of pain or discomfort.
I recently had to stop working because a lump has developed on the instep of my left foot which makes it even more difficult to move around and stand. Because we have exhausted our pain management options, my doctors are now recommending surgery as the next possible step.
My neurologist has suggested that such a procedure be done abroad since local facilities may not have the right equipment to continuously monitor the nerves during the excision of the tumors.
I have since been trying to connect with/reach out to foreign clinics and medical institutions and to this date the exact cost of such a procedure has not yet been obtained but we do not want to wait until then to start raising funds.
My family and I have been trying to raise funds through different fundraisers, however, COVID-19 has hampered this process. In previous years my family and I have handled all of my medical bills independently however, it has come to a point where we require more help.
A ballpark figure for my treatment was provided by John’s Hopkins in the sum of 200k-500k USD. I am now working towards raising this amount to access my treatment.
I would greatly appreciate any form of assistance given. Thanks in advance and God bless you!