CHICAGO– The national non-profit organization Pandas/Pans Advocacy & Support dedicates its 2017 Winter Grant Session in honor of Max Aaron Wallace of Benton, Arkansas. The 13-year-old took his own life on December 24, 2016, while suffering from an infection-triggered autoimmune disorder attacking the brain. Max’s condition, commonly known as PANDAS or PANS (depending on its infectious source), is treatable.
Max’s mother, Becky Pate Wallace, says her family struggled for years to get Max the proper diagnosis andtreatment. He was scheduled to receive his first round of IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin) therapy this month. IVIG is a complex blood product created from the serum of 1,000 to 15,000 human donors, used to “reset” the immune system in patients with antibody deficiencies.
“I want everyone to know we lack providers, we lack awareness and we lack cooperation from our pediatricians,” says Max’s mom, a health care provider. “And I want families to know we can no longer take ‘no’ for an answer from our doctors.”
Pandas/Pans Advocacy & Support (www.pas.care) supports families burdened by these often-overlooked disorders. Funds awarded during its 2017 Winter Grant Session will be given in honor of Max Wallace and will go to families struggling with the accompanying medical, educational, social-emotional, and financial hardships of PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Strep) and PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome).
From Wendy Nawara, President and Executive Director of Pandas/Pans Advocacy & Support: “Our hearts go out to the Wallace family at this time. Most tragic is that this happened at all. The earlier a child is diagnosed and granted access to proper treatment, the greater the chance for recovery. It is unacceptable when a child’s symptoms deteriorate to the point he can’t go on living. This is preventable when doctors recognize and treat symptoms early, and families get the care they need.”
Donations in any amount may be made to PANDAS/PANS ADVOCACY & SUPPORT
http://www.pas.care/donate.html
PANDAS/PANS Advocacy and Support is a non profit organization focused on increasing awareness and acceptance of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders and providing much needed support to families struggling
