Abby Connolly
A teenager is suffering from a rare disorder that has been deeply affecting her lifestyle. Now, her friends and family are seeking help to raise money for a surgery that could change her life.
A young woman named Kelsey presented signs of a stroke at only 17-years-old. When she was taken to the doctor, a series of tests and scans revealed that she had suffered from as many as 4 previous strokes in the years before.
After noting this strange finding in her medical records, Kelsey was diagnosed with Moyamoya. You may have never heard of it because it is a very rare disorder.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH), Moyamoya disease is caused by blocked arteries at the base of the brain.
On the NIH website, it says, “The name ‘moyamoya’ means ‘puff of smoke’ in Japanese and describes the look of the tangle of tiny vessels formed to compensate for the blockage.”
Those who suffer from Moyamoya have to deal with a variety of awful symptoms, including headaches, seizures, involuntary movements, vision issues, cognition impairment, etc.
Trying to imagine dealing with Moyamoya seems unfathomable, but for Kelsey, it is her new reality. Over the past 2.5 years, she has had countless doctor appointments, scans, and two surgeries. She is suffering from twitching in her limbs, weakness, numbness, and severe headaches.
The surgeries were supposed to re-route her blood supply, but unfortunately, they were not very successful.
GoFundMe; pictured above is Kelsey
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