Laura was diagnosed with Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood at 2 years of age, however, her first episodes and seizures began at the tender age of 12 weeks. AHC is a one in a million neuromuscular disorder with approximately 10 known cases in Australia.
The disease constitutes bouts of paralysis lasting minutes, to hours, to days. This paralysis will sometimes alternate from one side of the body to the other, other times it will affect the whole body, and it also causes global cognitive and physical impairment/delay. Additionally, about 50% of children with this disease have epilepsy which is the case for Laura.
There is currently no cure for this insidious disease, but our hope is to develop a treatment and ultimately a cure for all children and young adults suffering from AHC.
Please help us by donating and sharing this page to increase awareness of AHC.
Thank you for your support and generosity,
Glenda & family.
With funds raised from the AHC Foundation, we will support AAV gene therapy and other research related to the project. We believe a path has been identified to a viable permanent treatment: gene therapy. The gene therapy we propose will involve inserting a functional copy of the ATP1A3 gene into a virus (an adeno-associated virus or AAV) that has been stripped of its harmful payload and its ability to reproduce. The virus will then be injected into the cerebrospinal fluid and will carry the functional gene to the cells in the brain that are failing. By delivering additional functional copies of the gene, we should be able to rescue those cells, and treat the disease permanently.
Learn more about the project here.
| Supporters | |||
| Name | Date | Amount | Comments |
| Ben Pinniger | 05/14/2021 | $51.80 | Every little bit helps :) Well Done Laura! | Merle Davies | 05/14/2021 | $103.30 | Very thoughtful Adam, love from Gran & Poppy. xx | Glenda Davies | 05/14/2021 | $51.80 | Happy Birthday to my son who is a wonderful and caring big brother to Laura. | Adam Snooks | 05/13/2021 | $51.80 | Good work mate ? | Gerard & Janine Op De Coul | 05/13/2021 | $51.80 | Happy birthday Adam. Good luck with the campaign Laura | Adam Sakareassen | 05/12/2021 | $40.00 | Anna Reid | 05/12/2021 | $51.80 | ? | Adam Sakareassen | 05/28/2019 | $100.00 | Viv Machar | 05/08/2019 | $20.00 | Best wishes Laura from your Cabrini friend. xo | Mark Sakareassen | 04/29/2019 | $100.00 | Love from dizzy Odin Idelle Kelda. | Kate Johnstone | 04/29/2019 | $10.00 | Good luck x | Earl Sakareassen | 04/28/2019 | $1,000.00 | Love to my daughter Laura and best wishes to all AHC families. | Adam Snooks | 04/23/2019 | $50.00 | Patterson Family | 04/23/2019 | $20.00 | Great job Laura | Laura Sakareassen | 04/21/2019 | $200.00 | Love & best wishes Laura, from Gran & Pop. | Cherie Ambry | 04/20/2019 | $50.00 | All the best Laura x | Jean Turnbull | 04/20/2019 | $100.00 | Brilliant work! | Elizabeth Grantham | 04/20/2019 | $20.00 | Doing a wonderful job Laura in raising awareness | Gerard & Janine Op De Coul | 04/20/2019 | $50.00 | Best wishes Laura | Wendi Emmerson | 04/20/2019 | $10.00 | Happy Easter xx | Adam Sakareassen | 04/19/2019 | $100.00 | Angela Cheng | 04/19/2019 | $50.00 | Ingrid Czerniecki | 04/19/2019 | $50.00 | For you Laura,love Aunty Ingrid xx | Yvonne Davies | 04/19/2019 | $100.00 | Vera Shepherd | 04/19/2019 | $200.00 | Jenni Davies | 04/19/2019 | $50.00 | Well done Laura! | Sumi Sivalingam | 04/19/2019 | $100.00 | What a great cause Laura, all the best in your campaign. | Denise Roelsnds | 04/19/2019 | $50.00 | Your doing a wonderful job Laura, keep up the good work. | Tammie Edie | 04/19/2019 | $10.00 | John and Belinda Formosa | 04/19/2019 | $50.00 | Love you Sis. Xxx | TONY DOSLOV | 04/19/2019 | $70.00 | Leanne N Gonzy Diez | 04/19/2019 | $50.00 | What a superstar you are Laura!! We hope you raise heaps of money!! | Angela Ewan | 04/19/2019 | $30.00 | I wish you all the best Laura in your Quest and to make everyone aware. | Glenda Davies-Sakareassen | 04/19/2019 | $50.00 |
| Total | $3,092.30 | ||