IN THIS RECENT PHOTO, Yacolt resident Tammy Richert looks out of the window of her Battle Ground massage therapy clinic, looking forward to a long-awaited trip to Russia that will hopefully change her life and help her defeat a crippling disease. Photo courtesy of FH Browne
Yacolt resident Tammy Richert is starting a 30-40 day stay in Russia for medical treatment.
The 40-year-old Richert, a massage therapist in Battle Ground, suffers from a rare form of Multiple Sclerosis. Richert was set to fly to Moscow along with husband Dave at the end of March. Upon arrival, she will be admitted to the Department of Hematology and Cellular Therapy at the National Pirogov Medical Surgical Center in Moscow.
At the clinic Dr. Denis A. Fedorenko and his staff will begin treating Richert with Hematopoitec Stem Cell Therapy, HSCT, a process that is similar to bone marrow replacement.
The expensive and relatively new procedure is available in the United States through medical trials in Seattle and Chicago, but Tammy did not qualify due to their protocols. The treatment is also offered in Israel and Russia. Although she was accepted to both, the $125,000 cost for the Israeli clinic versus a $40,000 charge at the Moscow clinic decided her path.
“I’m nervous and a bit worried,” Richert confessed prior to her departure, “but also very excited to finally begin the treatments and hopefully start on the road to a new life.”
The disease has weakened her to the extent that if she sits and holds out both legs, her right leg drops immediately and the left soon falters as well.
“I used to be able to count to 10 before one leg failed, but now it falls right away and my other leg is pretty weak now,” she said.
Richert expects 2-3 days of preliminary testing when she gets to the clinic, and she hopes those tests will allow the doctors to admit her for the full treatment, which involves chemotherapy that eliminates much of her lymphocytes while sparing much of her bone marrow. The chemotherapy is then followed by stem cell replacement.
Without the treatment, the disease can progress over time from mild discomfort, muscle weakness and difficulty walking to being restricted to a wheelchair and, eventually, to being bedridden, unable to eat, swallow or communicate. Life expectancy for MS patients is 5-10 years lower than that of those without the disease.
Many Battle Ground businesses, including Allen’s Design, Mayer’s Meats, Skillz Salon, Integrity Salon, Blue Castle Coffee, Battle Grounds, Battle Ground Apothecary, and Pasta Gigi’s, have held fundraisers or have donated part of their sales to help the Richert family raise the funds Tammy needs for the treatment, travel and expenses while she spends a month or more in the Moscow clinic.
Additionally, Richert liquidated her retirement and her mother-in-law has donated to her cause, “but we’re telling her this is just a loan,” says Tammy.
Interested supporters can donate via Pay Pal or by giving money to a special account at Columbia Credit Union. Details for both can be found on Richert’s blog: http://tamstopms.wordpress.com. The two licensed massage therapists who will be handling her patients while she is in Russia have each offered her 30 percent of their fees, and Richert has asked her regular patients to keep coming to her clinic in support.
Richert plans to spend some of her time, at least 2-3 weeks of which will be in total isolation, on her computer and she will be blogging daily for anyone back in the U.S. to read. People can read her blog, make comments, and otherwise support her while she is in the clinic.
“That would be wonderful, to know people care enough back home to read what I write and send me words of encouragement, some humor, and just being there for me and my family,” she said.
Richert’s husband Dave can only spend the first five days with Tammy, then must go back to work. Plus at that time, she’ll be placed in total isolation. Near the end of her treatment Dave, daughter Macey, and son Alex will fly to Moscow to spend a week or so with her after she has hopefully been released from the clinic.
“It’s Macey’s 18th birthday and I’ll be darned if she has to spend that day in this hospital,” Tammy said.
Richert feels bad about having to ask for financial help, “but everyone says that people feel good about helping folks like me with these kind of overwhelming medical costs, so I’ll tuck away my pride and say that I appreciate any financial help anyone can or has given me,” she says with a sigh, and her characteristic sparkling smile.
Battle Ground Therapeutic Massage, Richert’s clinic, is located at 1710 W Main Street, Suite 218, Battle Ground. The clinic will be open and have two therapists available during Richert’s absence for treatment in Russia. The office can be reached by phone at (360) 687-2504.
