Mike Homer is an investor in my company, FM, and I’ve always enjoyed spending time with him. He’s smart, he’s connected, and he’s fun. Now, however, he’s very, very ill, with a disease that has precious little understanding in the medical community. But we can all help. His family and friends have started a “Fight for Mike” fund and I ask anyone who might help, to help. More details are here.
From the Fight for Mike page:
Your donation will help accelerate research on medication that might prolong Mike’s life as UCSF continues its work on a cure for CJD.
UCSF is the only place in the U.S. that conducts research, clinical trials, and treatment of CJD. UCSF’s Memory and Aging Center (MAC), directed by Dr. Bruce Miller, is the clinical program that provides assessment and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Dr. Michael Geschwind directs UCSF’s CJD clinical team. There are short-term treatments that can benefit Mike and your donation will go directly to research on medications that can prolong Mike’s life and make the quality of his remaining life better.
CJD is a rare, rapidly progressive, neurodegenerative disease. It is part of a family of diseases, called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, that are caused by an agent known as a “prion”, a proteinaceous infectious particle. Prions were named and discovered by Dr. Stanley Prusiner at the University of California, San Francisco, who was awarded the 1997 Nobel Prize for this work. Prion diseases also occur in animals, the most well-known infectious variant being mad cow disease. The incidence of CJD is roughly 1 case per million annually, with onset usually occurring in late middle age. At present, there is no known cure for CJD, and treatment options are extremely limited. Only a small percentage of patients survive past one year of the first symptom.
You can donate right here.
see http://cjd.neurologists.md/
🙂 nmw
Wow, I had no idea Mike was sick. 🙁
I am not sure if it will help, but there is a medical facility in China which deals with stem cell research and has had some major successes treating patients.
The company was founded by American/Israeli/Chinese doctors who make it possible for Westerners to have access to treatment with stem cells which they may not be able to do in their own country. The company is specifically designed to cater to Western patients.
Here is a link to their website: http://www.stemcellschina.com
Good luck and best wishes for health and happiness.
Through research, I believe I’ve found a simple treatment for brain wasting diseases – I wonder if anyone is interested in my research and findings.
ainee
Australia
The news of Mike’s illness really saddens me. I wish there was some way of sending him a mail, or talking with him, or at the very least, that he can read this note from me.
I was a senior at S.I. in San Francisco back in ’73 when Mike was a freshman. Seniors weren’t supposed to be friends with freshman . . . (when I was a freshman we were told that we were the lowest form of life on earth). . . but in Mike’s case, I just couldn’t help it. I was even his personal chauffor and drove him and his date to one of his freshman class dances.
He always made me feel like a million bucks, and I felt that for some reason he looked up to me. His innocent, honest, friendly, and open personality were just irresistable and infectious.
I remember running into him at one of the restaurants in Tiburon about 10 years later, and he just picked up where he’d left off 10 years earlier. We talked about his budding computer career and my adventures on world yacht-racing courses and oceans. He hadn’t changed a bit. This was before he became a big gun in “the valley”. I have a sneaking impression that he still has the same personal qualities now that he had back then . . . that nothing has gone to his head.
I am so happy that he has “made it big”, but I’m absolutely in shock about his illness.
I have been living in Denmark now for 20 years, and don’t get home much, but I try to keep up as much as possible with news from home via the net. That is how I found out about Mike and CJD.
If anyone that reads this could forward my note to Mike, I would appreciate it. Or, if someone could send me his e-mail address, that would be even better.
I’d just like to say hello to Mike. I wonder if he still remembers me.
Will Horsfall S.I. Class of 1973
hoss@stofanet.dk
Hi,
My mother was diagnosed with CJD. I talked to many people in order to find a treatment. Ainee from Australia kindly sent me an email with her experience with Vitamin B1, we decided to try it on my mom, even when doctors said that there was nothing we can do. Now for some reason she is doing better.
Dear John,
I believe I’ve discovered a simple treatment for those suffering similar symptoms to CJD.
Our sheep had a brain wasting disease which has similar symptoms – give or take a few and put into human terms – as CJD.
I developed similar symptoms to our sheep. Research found the cause of our sheep and my illness were different – but the simple treatment suppressed my symptoms – then after months of experimentation, research, trial and error, my symptoms started to reverse. The horrific symptoms were suppressed within minutes of the first treatment for a few hours.
How I would love to share my research and findings with someone who doesn’t doubt that a simple treatment can give better health. ainee.
My mother was recently diagnosed with CJD, the dr’s say she is now in a coma, she still opens her eyes and moves abit.
I would be very interested in any treatments ( vitamin B1,how is this given and is it available anyplace?)
Please help as time is running out.
thanks
Roger K – I’ve just found this site again and your posting – it’s May 2010, so perhaps too late for your Mum,I’m sorry.
After much experimentation etc., I’ve reviewed my treatment and I’ll put it here so others may benifit. I did not have CJD diagnosed but had similar symptoms – I found 250mgs Vitamin B1 – 3 times a day – also 1000mgs Vitamin C – 3 times a day – that’s six doses a day, gives better benifit 24/7. Each dose suppressed and eventually after 18 months, reversed my symptoms. Please see your doctor before changing any medication.
ainee.pv@hotmail.com