Father of three from Uckermark fights for life: fundraising campaign is underway!

Father of three from Uckermark fights for life: fundraising campaign is underway!

A tragic story has unfolded in the Uckermark, which concerns the fate of a father of three and a committed farmer. Carsten Ertel, who runs the “Liese and Daughters” organic farm with his family, is battling an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis (MS), the course of which has worsened dramatically over the past two years. Despite intensive drug treatment that cannot stop the symptoms, Carsten is increasingly confronted with the reality of soon being dependent on a wheelchair. The recently launched fundraising campaign on GoFundMe, which is intended to help him and his family finance the necessary treatments, is all the more important. So far, over 62,000 euros have already been collected, significantly exceeding the original goal of 50,000 euros, as [nordkurier.de](https://www.nordkurier.de/regional/uckermark/er-ist-dreifacher- Vater-landwirt-und-Schwer-krank-schon-ueber-62-000-euro-gesammelt-3752345) reports.

What does the future look like for Carsten and his family? Carsten's health has placed a great strain on not only him, but also his wife Nora and their three children, including a child with Down syndrome. The family has high hopes for a possible stem cell therapy, which in this case is an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant. This treatment could stop the progression of MS, but in Germany it is only approved in exceptional cases and health insurance companies often do not cover any costs.

The challenge of financing

The treatment costs in a specialized clinic in Mexico amount to over 50,550 euros. If you also take into account the travel costs and the support required for the family, the total costs can be expected to be up to 100,000 euros. The initiator of the fundraising campaign, Johanna Lachwitz, expresses her gratitude for the support she has already received and is keeping the campaign open for further financing.

Karina Resch from Ettendorf is in a similar situation. She is also affected by a severe form of MS and has decided to undergo stem cell therapy in Mexico because the healing methods in Austria and Germany are not yet fully developed. She documents her struggle in a powerful way and has set up a donation account to finance the therapy, which will cost around 60,000 euros. Karina's symptoms first appeared during a 10-kilometer run and indirectly led to the diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis and transverse myelitis. She also feels supported by the general public, as meinbezirk.at reports.

A look at stem cell therapy

Stem cell therapy is repeatedly discussed as a hope for MS patients. It is believed that it can slow down the progression of the disease. However, this therapy is not without risks and can rarely be covered by health insurance companies, forcing many patients to pay out of pocket. In Germany, the therapy is only available in a few places, and large-scale studies are still pending, as amsel.de explains.

There is a lot at stake for Carsten and Karina. Both are desperately looking for a chance to regain their lives and fight the disease. Their stories illustrate the enormous financial and emotional burden of seeking healing while requiring the support of their community. Hope for recovery remains as families continue their journey into the future.