New father affected by illness
Rob Gibson – 08/26/2021 / 18:08 | History: 344035
Photo: GoFundMe
A well-known Okanagan man who recently moved to Kelowna and bought his first house is now in the battle of his life.
Brendan Nishimura (Kolybaba) was recently diagnosed with a rare antibody-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system called myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-associated disease, or MOGAD.
Now his friends and family are trying to help out by launching a GoFundMe campaign for Nishimura, who was recently married and is a new father.
“Anyone who knows Brendan knows how genuinely kind, caring, passionate, and truly amazing he is. You may know Brendan from Jojo’s Cafe, Elvis’ Fine Jewelry, Osoyoo’s Home Building Center, and many other local events like Open Mic Nights and more more more, ”says the fundraiser.
The disease that Nishimura suffers from causes inflammation of the optic nerve, but it can also cause inflammation of the spine and brain. Along with vision problems, Nishimura has now lost the function of his feet and legs, unable to swallow or use his tongue or control his bladder.
GoFundMe states, “Because the disease is so new, its drugs are not currently being covered by BC Healthcare / Pharmacare. The family is now reviewing medical bills of up to $ 40,000 a year as each rituximab injection costs and he needs $ 10,000. ” four a year. “
“We hope to take some of the financial stress out of her life so Brendan can focus on getting better and getting back to his family.”
