Support continues as Nicola battles illness

Support continues as Nicola battles illness

2 August 2017

FUNDRAISING for the Help Nicola Beat MS campaign is continuing as the Downpatrick mum enters the second phase of radical stem cell treatment in Mexico.

Thirty supporters of Nicola Feenan, who is in the third out of four weeks of gruelling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), have raised £3,067 to help fund her aftercare when she returns home next month.

They raised the money through a mammoth mud challenge in County Meath, the Tough Mudders event, which attracted two million competitors worldwide.

The group was led by personal trainer Roisin Torney who helped participants prepare for the 13-mile challenge since April.

Overcoming obstacles along the route including an Arctic Enema, the Block Ness Monster and Everest, the last runner crossed the finishing line after five hours, boosting Nicola’s campaign.

Roisin said she was inspired to help by the mother-of-two’s story of determination.

“Nicola’s story touched a chorus with me,” she said.

“We just wanted to help her out in some shape or form. We initially had a target of £2,000 but we surpassed that for the Help Nicola Beat MS campaign.”

Nicola, who has suffered increasingly serious disability in recent years due to the progression of her disease, launched a fundraising campaign for her groundbreaking treatment last September.

She finally travelled to Mexico in mid-July to begin the gruelling regime, which includes two weeks of intensive chemotherapy followed by steam cell treatment.

Speaking from Mexico last week, Nicola confirmed she had entered the second phase of treatment to her followers on Facebook.

“I had my stem cells harvested this morning, I got 498,000,000 of them taken from me,” she wrote.

“I can’t believe it’s that much. To say it has been a tough couple of weeks is an understatement but it has been worth it.

“Two chemo sessions left to go then transplant.”

Nicola, who is wheelchair-bound, had previously spoken of her hope that HSCT would halt and possibly reverse her symptoms and allow her to walk again.

“The end goal would be to be able to walk,” she said.

“Everybody’s disease is different and everyone responds differently so it is impossible to predict.

“I will take it day by day, hour by hour.”