Psc Partners Seeking a Cure

WHAT IS PSC?

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) is a rare liver disease that casues the bile ducts inside and outside of the liver to become scarred, narrowed, and eventually blocked. As more and more ducts are blocked, bile becomes trapped and damages the liver. This damage, if left unchecked, causes liver cell death leading to cirrhosis, and may eventually require the need for a liver transplant. Currently, there is no known cause. There are no effective treatment options. 

CHELSEA'S STORY "EVERYONE DESERVES TO GROW OLD"

Hello, all. My name is Chelsea. I’m 17 (almost 18) years old, and I have PSC. From the outside, I look just like everyone else (save my sometimes yellowing eyes.) I am of average height, have brown hair and brown eyes, and go to a university. I enjoy ballet, yoga, theatre, and am a copy editor for my university’s newspaper. I don’t look sick. On the inside, I have been battling PSC for 12 years, along with Ulcerative Colitis (for 16 years) and Autoimmune Hepatitis (for nine years.) But I don’t look sick. You know, I almost couldn't attend my own graduation, in which I had the honor of graduating on stage because of all my involvement in high school, because I was in the hospital. I was released the night before to drive four hours home and wake up in the morning to receive my diploma. Even then, we were fighting with the doctors. They wanted me to come back afterwards. I haven’t had a liver transplant yet. I’m one of the hopeful cases of liver disease; I have been lucky enough to be able to hold on for this long without transplant, but I’m sure I’ll need one within the next five to seven years or so, depending on technology. That’s right, depending on technology. We have the power to raise awareness and money for science to find our rare disease a cure and an answer. I have had close friends die because there is no cure for PSC. How is living to barely reaching 40 or 50 years old any quality of life? With modern medicine, most people live to be twice their age. I am trying to not lose all hope. I’ve had to learn to regain my mental and emotional strength as the months have passed. I won’t lie, it’s been really difficult. I’m a teenage girl and should be worrying about school and boy problems and parties and all the other things college girls worry over. I think I have a right to be upset that I’ve always had to worry about things that were “too adult” for me; I think I almost skipped the worrying-over-relationships phase entirely. Still, I am hopeful. I am fighting to live the most normal life that I possibly can as a sick person. I’m waiting it out until I either have a transplant or am presented with a cure. I am hopeful. I challenge you to fight with me and my PSC family. Join us! After all, everyone deserves to grow old.

TODAY

Today, PSC Partners Seeking a Cure is continually expanding its programs, thanks to the expertise, advice and help from our talented board of directors, Scientific/Medical Advisory Board, and our community. We remain a true working partnership between PSC patients, caregivers, physicians, nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists, and researchers. Together, we form a unique community that acts as a family for PSCers and caregivers and offers hope to all of us. I’m proud to say that together we’ve raised over $2.5 miilion in support of our mission to research the causes and cure for PSC. We WILL find a cure for PSC! Please join us by contributing NOW and help us fund our 2016 Grants Program for Research.