Milan resident with rare disease reaches out to community for help

By Joyce Ervin Special to The Milan News-Leader

Pictured is a photograph of Danielle Peladeaus daughters, Jocelyn and Rachel on the GoFundMe website. Peladeau is raising funds for a stem cell transplant. She is a sufferer of the rare disease, Stiff Person Syndrome.

As a suffer of the rare disease Stiff Person Syndrome, she finds herself now raising funds for herself to help pay for a stem cell transplant her insurance wont completely cover through the online non-profit GoFundMe.

A rare disease is any disease that has fewer than 200,000 people diagnosed worldwide. There are only 300 people in the United States diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome Peladeau said,

Unfortunately, it is progressive and there is no cure like many other diseases such as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as Lou Gehrig disease and Lupus, said Peladeau.

Peladeau had to wait a long time to be considered a candidate for the treatment that her hematologist recommended that will take place in Chicago. In spite of the difficult logistics, Peladeau decided to go ahead with the transplant. She will remain there for six to eight weeks and it is recommended a caregiver stay with her for the entire time.

She would like to be able to pay her caregiver because lodging in Chicago is expensive. Her husband has to remain home with their daughters Rachel and Jocelyn, ages 8 and 12. She said her insurance company denied the transplant but Medicare will cover a portion of the treatment but not any travel expenses.

Peladeau still carries large medical balances for previous treatments and will not receive any long-term care benefits for at least another five months. Unable to afford all of this, Peladeau was encouraged by a friend to ask for help through GoFundMe.

So, if anyone in the Milan area wishes to help this family, they are encouraged to donate soon. The organization collects donations from friends and family before allowing donations from others through the website.

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Milan resident with rare disease reaches out to community for help