Myasthenia Gravis is a debilitating rare and complex neuromuscular auto-immune disease that interferes with the communication between the nerves and muscles, resulting in muscle weakness and fatigue. It is a little-understood rare genetic auto-immune disorder that shortens the lifespan of those diagnosed with the disease.
Myasthenia Gravis (meye-uhss-THEEN-ee-uh GRAV uhss) comes from Greek and Latin words meaning "grave muscle weakness."
It occurs when, for unknown reasons, the immune system mistakenly attacks muscles that receive nerve impulses, which signal the muscles to contract (neuromuscular junctions).
It is five times more rare in children than in adults which means 1 child in 500,000 is diagnosed with MG (Karen Hill-Whitson, president of the MG Ontario chapter).
Already diagnosed with a form of Autism along with a number of related disabilities, in April 2008 Lewis Schofield became that 1 child in 500,000 to be diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. His health deteriorated quickly over the months and he underwent major surgery for a thymectomy in June 2009.
In September, the Make A Wish Foundation of Eastern Ontario (Canada) is granted him his wish to visit the Epcot Center at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida.
Lewis comes from a single parent family and the countless visits to the Hospital for Sick Children as well as days at Peterborough Regional Health Centre for IVIG treatments as well as visits to the ER due to exacerbations and myasthenic crises have seriously impacted on the family.
Watch this website for information on a fundraiser benefitting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in late spring 2010. And remember, love people with a difference.
Myasthenia Gravis (meye-uhss-THEEN-ee-uh GRAV uhss) comes from Greek and Latin words meaning "grave muscle weakness."
It occurs when, for unknown reasons, the immune system mistakenly attacks muscles that receive nerve impulses, which signal the muscles to contract (neuromuscular junctions).
It is five times more rare in children than in adults which means 1 child in 500,000 is diagnosed with MG (Karen Hill-Whitson, president of the MG Ontario chapter).
Already diagnosed with a form of Autism along with a number of related disabilities, in April 2008 Lewis Schofield became that 1 child in 500,000 to be diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. His health deteriorated quickly over the months and he underwent major surgery for a thymectomy in June 2009.
In September, the Make A Wish Foundation of Eastern Ontario (Canada) is granted him his wish to visit the Epcot Center at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida.
Lewis comes from a single parent family and the countless visits to the Hospital for Sick Children as well as days at Peterborough Regional Health Centre for IVIG treatments as well as visits to the ER due to exacerbations and myasthenic crises have seriously impacted on the family.
Watch this website for information on a fundraiser benefitting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in late spring 2010. And remember, love people with a difference.
