F Fr ri ie en nd ds s o of f J Jo oe ey y R Re en nd da a

C Ca ar rd ds s f fo or r a a C Cu ur re e C Ch ha ar ri it ty y P Po ok ke er r T To ou ur rn na am me en nt t
_ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _

N NJ J C Ch ha ar ri it ty y # # CH3702900

ToWhomitMayConcern:
MynameisJoeRendaandIwanttosharewithyoumylifeexperiencessince1999.
MysenioryearofcollegeatPennStatestartedjustlikethepreviousyears,excitedtoseemy
roommatesandfriendswhilelookingforwardtogettingonestepclosertograduating.However,after
afewweeksIstartedfeelingsignificantphysicaldiscomfortinmyabominablearea,whichincluded
severestomachpains,crampsandweaknessthatdidntseemtogoaway.Attimes,Iremembersitting
inclassandfeelingasifsomeoneinsidemewasusingarazorbladetocarveupmyabdomen,whichwas
immediatelyfollowedbytheurgetofindthenearestmensroomrightaway.AfterIwassureitwasnt
thetypicalflusymptomsIhadexperiencedbefore,Idecidedtoseeadoctor.Withinoneweekofthe
appointment,IwasofficiallydiagnosedwithulcerativecolitisinOctoberof1999andprescribedalistof
medicationstotreattheillness.IfinishedmysenioryearatPennStateandgraduatedinDecemberof
2000withaBSinBiochemistryandMolecularBiology.
Livingasanenergetictwentyoneyearoldwithulcerativecolitiswasnotexactlyeasy,asanyonewith
theillnesswilltellyou.Thefirstthingwelookforwhengoinganywhereisthenearestbathroom
becauseIknoweventually,Iwillneedit.Thatincludedallplaces,bars,nightclubs,meetingroomsfor
worketc.
InJanuaryof2001,IwashiredbyAventisPasteurBiologicstoworkinvariouspositionsinVaccine
Manufacturingoveratwoyearperiodinarotationalprogram.Withinafewmonths,Istartedfeeling
numbnessinmyfingertipsandtoes,alongwithexperiencingperiodsofdoubleandblurredvision.After
beingfalselydiagnosedwithaVitaminDdeficiencybyageneralpractitioner,Iwasfinallyreferredtosee
aneurologist.Afterconsultingwithafewdoctorsandhavingamultitudeoftestsandexaminations,I
wasdiagnosedwithMultipleSclerosis(MS)inOctoberof2001.Iremembertheneurologistwalkingin
theroomandsayingwell,younowhaveanotherautoimmuneillness,asifhehadjustgivenmeagift.
Icriedtheentireridehomeandatonepoint,IactuallypulledintoastoreparkinglotbecauseIcouldtell
Iwasntpayingmuchattentiontomydriving.Ineededtogetallthegriefofbeingdiagnosedwithtwo
chronic,lifechangingillnessbytheageoftwentythreeoutofmysystembecauseIknewIwouldneed
mystrengthwhenIhavetobreakthenewstomyfamily.
MymomtookthenewssimilartowhatIhadpicturedinmymind;cryingandhuggingme,sayingitisnt
fairandifshecouldshewouldgladlytakethisillnessasherown.Mydadwasobviouslydisappointed
butsaidwell,thisissomethingwehavetodealwith.Lookingbackafternearlythirteenyears,Inow
realizehowcaringandsupportiveitwasthatheusedthewordweratherthanyou,eventhoughin
theendIwouldultimatelycarryingtheburden.
AfterbeingdiagnosedwithMSjusttwoyearsafterulcerativecolitis,IacceptedthefactthatImust
attempttomaintainapositiveattitudeandoutlookonthefuture,nomatterwhatsymptomsmayarise.
Withinayearofdiagnosis,Ihadlosttheabilitytorun,sincethemusclesinmylegsfeltslightlytighter
anduncoordinatedthanusual,andbythesecondyear,Ibeganexperiencingblurredvision.The
symptomsgotworseeachmonthtothepointwhereIwasunabletoreadhardcopyandcomputer
documents.Atthatpoint,myvisionwaspastthethresholdofbeinglegallyblind,renderingmeunable
toperformthedutiesofmyjobandIhadnochoicebuttogoonshorttermdisabilitywiththecompany.
F Fr ri ie en nd ds s o of f J Jo oe ey y R Re en nd da a
C Ca ar rd ds s f fo or r a a C Cu ur re e C Ch ha ar ri it ty y P Po ok ke er r T To ou ur rn na am me en nt t
_ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _

N NJ J C Ch ha ar ri it ty y # # CH3702900

InAugustof2004,IsufferedasevereMSflareup,whichworsenedallofthesymptomsIwassuffering
from,especiallyspasticity(tightness)andweaknessinmylegs.Walkingwasextremelydifficultandnow
thechronicpainwasunbearableinmylowerback,legsandfeet.InDecemberof2004,Idecidedtofind
anotherneurologistandstartingseeingDr.SylvesterattheTischMSResearchCenterofNewYork.Dr.
SylvesterhastreatedmesinceDecemberof2004prescribingvariousmedications,treatmentsand
physicaltherapiststohelpmecopewiththevarioussymptoms.
InAprilof2007,afterDr.Sylvesterandthephysicaltherapisthadrealizedmyhighdeterminationto
improvemyphysicalstrengthandoverallcondition,theyagreedthatIshouldbeacandidateforthe
PhaseIStemCellClinicalTrialsettostartinFebruary2008.Unfortunately,duetoadditionaltesting
requestsmadebytheFDA,theclinicaltrialwasdelayedforseveralyears.
AfteraroutinecheckupperformedbymygastroenterologisttomonitorulcerativecolitisinAugustof
2011,Iwasdiagnosedwithcoloncancer.Thediagnosisrequiredacolectomytoremovealmostthe
entirelargeintestine,alongwithaperiodofeightdaystorecover.AfewweeksafterthesurgeryIwas
notifiedthatthecancerhadprogressedtoStageIIIstatusinmylymphnodes;requiringtwelveroundsof
chemotherapyoverasixmonthperiod.Afterallowingamonthtorecoverfrommylastroundof
chemo,Iwasreadmittedtothehospitaltohaveasecondsurgery;thistimetoreconnectmysmall
intestinetothelastremainingsmallsectionofmylargeintestine(calledthereversalsurgery).This
procedurewasscheduledtobefor4days;however,Iwasthereforatotalof22daysdueto
complicationsmostlikelycausedbyMS.
WhileIwascompletingachemotherapytreatmentandpreparingforthesecondsurgeryinJuneof
2012,mybrotherVinceandhisgroupoffriendswereorganizingaTexasHoldEmPokerTournament
CharityEventtoraisemoneyforstemcellresearchbeingperformedattheTischInternationalMultiple
SclerosisResearchCenterofNewYork.Nowinitsthirdyear,theeventhasraisedtensofthousandsto
supporttheMSCentersrecentFDAapprovalfortheStageIStemCellClinicalTrial.Alongwithnineteen
otherpatients,Iwaschosentoparticipateinthegroundbreakingclinicaltrial,whichisthefirstinthe
worldtousestemcellstoreversethedamagecausedbyMS,settocommencein2014.
Theeffectsofcancer,2majorsurgeries,atotalof30daysinthehospital,andsixmonthsofchemo
causedatremendousphysicalchallengeforrehabilitatingmybody.Keepinmind,mostcancerpatients
arentalreadybattlingacompletelyseparatedebilitating,chronicillnesswhichalreadycausesphysical
painanddiscomfort.Theweaknessinmylegsrequiredcontinueddailyphysicaltherapyjusttoget
aroundwiththeuseofacane.Becauseofchemotherapy,Iwasunabletoexerciseduetosideeffects
whichincludedfatigueandnausea,alongwithspendingtwentytwodaysrecoveringinthehospital
fromthesurgerycomplications.Afterafewmonthsofextremelyhardworkandphysicaltherapy,I
regainedamajorityofmystrength;howeverthespasticityhadworsenedandInowhavetousea
walkertogetaroundbothinandoutsidemyhome.
Theeventsdescribedaboveleadsusuptothepresent,whichincludesthefollowing:
Iamcancerfreeforthreeyears
MycurrentMSconditionisstableandundercontrol
IanticipatebeginningtheStageIStemCellClinicalTrialthisyear,2014
FriendsofJoeyRondaisanonprofittaxexemptcharitywiththeIRSunderFIEN464145316.
F Fr ri ie en nd ds s o of f J Jo oe ey y R Re en nd da a
C Ca ar rd ds s f fo or r a a C Cu ur re e C Ch ha ar ri it ty y P Po ok ke er r T To ou ur rn na am me en nt t
_ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _

N NJ J C Ch ha ar ri it ty y # # CH3702900

FriendsofJoeyRendaisanonprofittaxexemptcharitywiththestateofNewJersey,Charity
numberCH3702900
SothisismystorythatIwantedtosharewithyou,thisismyfightthatIhavebeenbattlingfor15years.
Iwillcontinuetofighteveryminuteofeverydayandinthemeantimehopetoshowotherswhohave
theirownstrugglesinlife,whatevertheymaybe,tonevergiveup.
Iamaskingyouforyourhelpinraisingmoneyforwhatisthelatestingroundbreakingmedicalcarethat
canhelpthehundredsofthousandsofpeoplewhosufferfromMSeveryday.Joinusforanightoffood,
funandpokerattheFriendsofJoeyRendaPokerTournament.Ifyoucannotmakeit,pleaseconsidera
donationonlineathttp://friendsofjoeyrenda.com/.Weareafullyregisteredpubliccharityandall
donationsaretaxdeductible.ThankyoufortakingthetimetoreadmystoryandIlookforwardtowhat
wecanaccomplishtogether!

Sincerely,
Joe Renda
JoeRenda