Scottish mum from Inverness living with 'devastating' MS diagnosis hopes for Mexico treatment

A mother who relies on her two young children to care for her following a “devastating” MS diagnosis has launched a fundraiser in the hope she can travel to Mexico for treatment.

Jade Taylor, from Culloden, near Inverness, was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis in February 2021.

The 38-year-old single mother now relies on her seven-year-old and ten-year-old to help provide day to day care in her life, as the aggressive nature of her disease leaves her unable to perform basic tasks.

After being unsuccessful with treatments offered in the UK, the beautician now hopes to raise £56,000 for the opportunity to undergo a haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) at the Clinica Ruiz in Mexico’s Puebla City on April 3, 2023.

Jade said she just wishes she could “walk on the beach” with her children again.

She said: “My diagnosis came like a sledgehammer. It all started in 2020 around lockdown with Covid and progressed fast.

“Since being diagnosed, I have lost my mobility and struggle to walk more than 15-20 metres without any aid. Both feet have dropped, and I have tingling, pins and needles and pain in both legs.

“In addition, I suffer from extreme fatigue, brain fog, and speech issues, and my back is in pain and often struggles to hold me up.

“I am forever optimistic about doctors finding a cure for this disease. But unfortunately, I have been unsuccessful with the treatments offered.

“I have done much-needed research on HSCT treatment and have knowledge of others that have undergone the treatment.

“HSCT is a stem cell treatment that removes stem cells from my body and hits me hard with a chemo drug. However, the healthy cells are stored safely and reintroduced to my body after chemo.

“My immune system will be restarted, making me very vulnerable to infections. Treatment will require me to be in Mexico for a month without physical contact with my children.

“I want to walk on the beach or in the forest with my kids again.

“HSCT will allow me to slow the progression of my disease and possibly restore some damaged cells.

“I would be so grateful to have some life back to enjoy with my children while they are still young.”

You can donate to Jade’s cause here.