kim smith

I am raising funds for Scleroderma research and treatments in support of my daugher, Kelsey.

Dear Donor, 

My beautiful daughter, Kelsey, has suffered for 18 years with this cruel, unrelenting disease that only worsens with time. It has a very high mortality rate and quality of life is very difficult as scleroderma affects and attacks the skin, lungs, kidneys, heart, eyes, mouth, teeth, joints, all nerves in the body, swallowing, stomach, bowels, and every muscle - basically the entire body is involved. Fatigue is unimaginable and nothing that can be fixed by sleeping. Each body part requires its own specialist and a scleroderma patient has 10-15 doctors and  specialists on their care team.

In June, I am participating in the Make-A-Move for Scleroderma walk to raise awareness about this disease that most have never heard of. Trust me, neither did I until Kelsey was diagnosed at 17 years old. Diagnosis took many years and dozens of trips to doctors in Canada and US. Early diagnosis is key for treatment, yet most doctors don't even know what it is.  Please help me raise funds to change this.  Critical research and drug trials are needed to find treatments to improve quality of life for Scleroderma patients. 

Only 22,000 Canadians live with this rare disease and women are 6X more likely to get it than men. There are major centres in the US like Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Centres, but nothing like that exists in Calgary or even Canada. 

I pray every day that one day... A CURE will be found.  

Please support my fundraising efforts. 💙 THANK YOU!