New father struck by disease
Rob Gibson – Aug 26, 2021 / 6:08 pm | Story: 344035
Photo: GoFundMe
A well-known Okanagan man who recently moved to Kelowna and purchased his first home is now in the fight of his life.
Brendan Nishimura (Kolybaba) has recently been diagnosed with a rare antibody-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system, called Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein associated disease, or MOGAD.
Now his friends and family are trying to help by starting 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, Osoyoos Home Building Center, and many other local events such as Open Mic nights and much more,” the fundraiser says.
The disease that Nishimura suffers from causes inflammation of the optic nerve, but can also cause inflammation of the spinal column and brain. Along with vision issues, Nishimura has now lost function in his feet and legs, can no longer swallow or use his tongue, or control his bladder.
The GoFundMe indicates, “because the disease is so new, his medication is not currently covered by BC Healthcare/Pharmacare. The family is now looking at medical bills of up to $40,000 a year, as each injection of Rituximab is $10,000 and he will need four a year.”
“We are hoping to remove some of the financial stress from their lives so Brendan can focus on getting better and back to his family.”
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