THE Bega Valley community is widely known for its kind heartedness and compassion and once again residents are being called upon to support one of their own.
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Bega mother of two Beth Berk has multiple sclerosis, a diagnosis she has lived with since 24 years of age.
Ten years later, after using multiple medications, lifestyle changes and natural therapies, Ms Berk and her family have decided it is time to try chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
In order to do this she is swallowing her pride and asking for your help.
As the treatment is not available in Australia it will cost the family $60,000 for Ms Berk to travel to Russia for a brand new immune system.
“I refuse to give up the fight…now I choose to fight harder,” Ms Berk said.
“Australian medicos have refused HSCT, even though it has had enormous success in the last decade.”
One local fundraising initiative that will assist Ms Berk in reaching her goal is a charity golf day being held on January 25.
The inaugural Bega Country Club Charity Golf Day will cost $25 per head, which includes lunch.
It’s a four ball ambrose with a 10am shotgun start - teams of four will compete and no handicap is required.
There will be heaps of raffle and auction items also on the day, so show your support and turn up for a bit of fun while at the same time helping the Berks raise money to bring their hope for life saving treatment even closer.
Ms Berk was never really scared about the disease or challenged by its effects, until recently.
Everything changed a few weeks before her 34th birthday when she woke up and jumped out of bed and promptly fell over, as her legs would not support her.
In the following weeks Ms Berk was forced to look at all the little things that were adding up and signalling a decline in her health.
“I bang into walls, have to concentrate on walking and talking and I try harder to remember things that used to just stick.
“I can’t run or jump around with the kids as much anymore.
“My memory and my body have started to let me down of late and is has dawned on me that I am not invincible,” she said.
“I have researched chemo and HSCT and have spoken to the Russian doctor, Dr Fedorenko, and his team and I am buoyed by their results over the last decade.
“Please, if you can, donate…help get me to Russia!
“If you can’t donate, spread the word - make sure people know of the opportunities available to them overseas and the lack of them in Australia.
“Hopefully one day it will be readily available in our own backyard - if not for me, for the others in Australia with this, previously thought unstoppable, disease.”
For more information or to contact Ms Berk, visit www.gofundme.com/a1q0qw.
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