The Goodness of America
Community Rallies for Struggling Teen
A community in Lecanto, Florida, is rallying around 18-year-old Jeremy Schreifels, who suffers from debilitating Tourette’s syndrome and is trying to raise $130,000 for experimental Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery that is not covered by his health insurance.
Jeremy told the Citrus County Chronicle, “Every day is mostly a struggle for me, and I get rare bits of relief. The quality of life I’m living now is not sustainable.”
The Chronicle reported that during the DBS surgery, doctors would implant a device that sends electrical signals to areas of the brain responsible for body movements. Similar to a pacemaker, the electrodes use pulses to regulate brain activity. In order to prepare for the surgery, Jeremy needs to undergo intensive outpatient psychiatric therapy called Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT), which focuses on reducing anxiety prior to the surgery.
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