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Woman faces financial problems as daughter fights rare disease

By Glenn Counts, wsoctv.com
By Glenn Counts, wsoctv.com

MONROE, N.C. — A Charlotte woman is losing her home as she tries to save the life of her daughter, who has a rare disease.

Kendra Jeffries is being forced to move out of the home she has lived in for more than four years.

Her 21-year-old daughter was rushed to the hospital Tuesday morning.

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"It's very heart-wrenching and, as a mother, you feel helpless," Jefferies said.

Ally was sedated at Novant Health-Presbyterian in Charlotte, but that was not strong enough to stop the seizures. She is one of 20 patients in the country who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy, that produces uncontrollable seizures every minute of every day.

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"I see the pain in her eyes. I see her body parts with no control," Jeffries said.

The only thing that gives Ally any relief is marijuana, Jeffries said.

Jefferies has fought to make marijuana legal in North Carolina.

"It sounds like hell? It can be, if you look at it that way, or you can say, like I do, that 'God gave me this gift,’" Jefferies said.

Financial woes forced Jefferies to leave her home, which her landlord is selling.

She is two months behind on rent, but appreciates what her landlord has done to help Ally.

"We have 24-hour nursing,” Jefferies said. “A lot of people don't like a lot of people coming in and out of their home, so just her allowing us to have a nursing home setting has been wonderful."

Ally has already beaten her life expectancy.

"She's a fighter, and she is just phenomenal,” Jefferies said.

Ally is being transferred to the Medical College of Virginia for experimental treatment.

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