Canadian curler, 20, paralyzed by rare condition: 'She can't move her legs, sit up, or care for herself'
A 20-year-old woman and curler from B.C. has been left paralyzed by a rare neurological condition called transverse myelitis.
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The story of Brook Aleksic has been shared on fundraising website GoFundMe. Aleksic's former curling coach, Diane Dezura, an Olympic bronze medalist in the sport, organized the fundraiser. As of Monday, it was around $6,000 shy of its $100,000 goal.
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'Her onset was rapid and severe,' according to the fundraising site. 'She can't move her legs, sit up, or care for herself. The damage to her spinal cord is extensive. While there is hope for some recovery, her path will be long, uncertain and expensive.'
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Canadian filmmaker Josephine Anderson, who directed Curl Power, filmed Aleksic and her curling teammates 'for much of their teenagehood, as they pursued their dream of becoming national champions,' she told National Post in an email over the weekend. Anderson said audience members connected with Aleksic.
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'Brook always leans towards gratitude and optimism, even when facing difficult moments in her life,' said Anderson. 'When we filmed, Brook was bravely open about struggling with body image and self confidence. We had many, many audience members tell us that Brook was especially inspirational to them.'
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Anderson urged anyone who could help Aleksic and her family 'during this life altering time' to 'please come forward' to offer support.
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'Becoming paralyzed in a matter of hours is surely the biggest and scariest challenge she's had to face,' Anderson told National Post. 'But somehow Brook is still finding a way to look on the bright side.'
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Transverse myelitis is a rare neurological condition that affects approximately 1 to 8 people per million each year in the United States, or roughly 1,400 new cases a year, according to academic medical centre Cleveland Clinic.
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