Thank you.
My name is Lianne Webb. I'm 48 years old and I live in Hillsdale, Ontario.
In my mid-twenties I began experiencing severe migraine headaches, and by August 1991 I began having very unusual symptoms. I basically lost all control of my right arm and leg. This was accompanied by great fatigue, and after several tests and months of wondering what was happening to me, I was diagnosed with MS in May 1992. That was18 years ago.
MS affects a patient's life and the lives of our family and friends in so many ways, so many profound ways. By 2009, after 18 years of living with this disease, the daily episodes and fatigue, I was naturally intrigued by the news coming from Dr. Zamboni in Italy. I wanted to know if I had a venous insufficiency.
Dr. McDonald diagnosed that I did, and you have seen the images of my jugulars. Unquestionably I did. Naturally I wanted to have the blockage flow corrected, and I wanted this correction even though Dr. McDonald clearly told me that he would be treating my vascular problem and not my MS. Dr. McDonald treated my CCSVI with balloon angioplasty on February 11 of this year. It was such a simple, painless procedure and it was only a few hours—and that included recovery time.
You've seen from Dr. McDonald's images that my unquestionable venous abnormality has been corrected. Dr. McDonald warned that me that this treatment or procedure could have no effect on my MS.
The fact is my MS is much easier to handle now. I have lived through a marked improvement. Some of this improvement I felt right away. The fatigue is gone. I have not had an attack or episode since the treatment, and so far that's four and a half months of true bliss.
Before the procedure I was taking my medication but I was still having attacks and episodes. Since the treatment I have not taken any medication. I stopped this on my own, since I was having no further symptoms. No one recommended that I stop.
I'm able to stay awake in the evenings past 7 p.m. I am living again.
In addition to working full-time, I go golfing two to three times a week, and I walk the course; I don't take a cart. I am enjoying one of my lifetime passions, horseback riding, at least twice a week, and I'm actually looking to buy my own horse. I'm able to go for bike rides and walks with my family after work now that I have the energy to do so. It's hard just to sit and relax. I want to do and try so many things now, whereas before I was just way too exhausted to even think about it.
I can't imagine asking anyone to simply put up with the blockage I had. I ask that this committee do everything possible to remove all possible obstacles for all Canadian patients diagnosed with CCSVI to receive this treatment.
Thank you.
[Applause]