Though she can’t stand or walk on her own, Liza Glynn is leaping in her faith for a controversial treatment for MS
Liza Glynn wants to stand and would like to see her seven-year-old son Tenney grow up.
“This disease takes away everything,” Glynn said, seated in her motorized wheelchair.
The Brentwood woman suffers from multiple sclerosis, and is confident in her faith that the still controversial liberation treatment will help curb her symptoms.
“There’s a lot of positive result from this treatment all around the world,” Glynn said. “If I was just able to get off the medicine that would be great.”
Chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency treatment, known as liberation treatment, isn’t offered in Canada, because it’s still considered experimental. Glynn will head south of the border to a clinic in San Diego in the third week of February to have the surgery. Some patients have extolled the virtues of the treatment, while others suffered complications. In October, a Canadian man made headlines when he died from a riskier form of the procedure.
While medical experts are still uncertain, Glynn is going on faith.
“To be able to stand, that would be great. If you don’t take a chance, nothing can change,” she said. “I just want to see my son grow up. I want to be in his life. I just don’t want to be dictated by this illness.”
Glynn was diagnosed in July 1998, two years after a fall at work that was likely caused by the disease. Up until 2003 she was able to work.
With employment no longer an option, Glynn can’t afford the costs of travel and treatment expenses for the San Diego appointments (her surgery is scheduled for Feb. 18), estimated at $19,000. But her friends and community are pulling for her, coming forward with offers of time, travel points and cash.
She has pondered the question ‘What if I go through all of this and nothing happens?’
“My friends said ‘then you know people love you’,” Glynn said. “It’s been a grateful and touching feeling.”
Donations can be made at the Royal Bank to: Liza Glynn (Liberation Treatment) savings acct. #00200-5001904.
Part of Glynn’s inspiration is an Oak Bay woman, who lived with MS for 53 years before finding success with Liberation treatment.
“She now walks with no cane, she’s been walking with a cane for 13 years,” Glynn said.
The woman, Margaret Bryant will speak at the Friendship Community Church (7820 Central Saanich Rd.) on Thursday, Feb. 3 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
reporter@peninsulanewsreview.com