My son was diagnosed with AS in 2022 this is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the spinal joints and ligaments, sacroiliac joints, and often peripheral joints, like the shoulders, hips, and knees. Some people have symptoms in other organs such as the eyes, heart, kidneys this also raises the likelihood of having fatty liver disease and scarring.

ankylosing spondylitis doesn't affect everyone the same. Some people have no symptoms, and others have a debilitating life that gets even worse over time. Jace has a pretty severe case where his back is already fusing  and his SI joints in his hips have already started to deteriorate. He goes to the hospital every six weeks for infusions to help with the inflammation in his body. He's in pain on a daily basis which has limited his mobility and has caused weight gain Jace has always been on the chubby side, but he gained 100 lbs after falling into a deep depression after losing his first born son. If Jace doesn't get healthy, there is no hope he's in liver failure and right at the brink of going into cirrhosis of the liver caused from the fatty liver disease and his autoimmune disorder piled on top of all the other health complications he has or is at high risk for this is a very scary road.                                                                                                                                                     The doctors have all suggested bariatric surgery. This is truly our only hope to change some of his life around it's not a cure all, but it is the best and only option right now. He's 22 years old and has twin daughters and a newborn he needs to be able to be there for in the years to come. He wants this more than anything in the world. He knows that having this surgery will literally save his life lesson his daily pain and open up the options to different medications and treatments even working a job.                                                                                                                                        Given Jaces unique situation and his age, the doctors got him approved very fast for this surgery and picked the date July 19, 2024 and luckily he's still on my insurance but will still have close to 8,000 left to pay after the surgery. His wife is currently on  unpaid maternity leave, and Jace is unable to work so this leaves them with tough to face financial barriers that come along with weight loss surgery costs, especially when it’s something you need to address health concerns help me ease their burden by funding this live saving surgery for Jace and his beautiful little family.