Patient Stories

Share Your Story and Inspire Others

Sharing your story and experience as a patient or caregiver can truly inspire other individuals with these rare conditions. The GBS|CIDP Foundation invites you to join patients of all ages, caregivers and heros who have contributed their experience and inspire others living with GBS, CIDP, MMN and related conditions.

Check out some tips below to help you share your story.

  • Keep the story submission to 500-1,000 words with complete sentences
  • Include your name and diagnosis
  • focus on your diagnosis journey, treatment, and where you are today
  • Include a photo to personalize your story
  • Explain your story in a way anyone can understand with any level of prior knowledge
  • Let your personality show in the story

If you would like to be included, please submit a story. We would love to hear from you & share your journey!

Karen Yelverton’s story

Multifocal motor neuropathy wants a piece of me… but I’m fortunate to have the help I need to fight back. This morning I woke up, picked up the large mug of…

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Lucy Valcheva (Bulgaria)

I am Lucy Valcheva, 36, from Bulgaria. In April 2023, the worst and the best thing happened in my life. You are probably horrified and thinking, how can Guillain Barre…

Learn More about Lucy Valcheva (Bulgaria)

Clarissa Gennari (Italy)

Hi, I’m Clarissa, 24 years old. At the time of my GBS diagnosis, I was 23 and had been working as an educator in a nursery for two years. I’m…

Learn More about Clarissa Gennari (Italy)

Pravin Chetty (South Africa)

I was born and grew up in the coastal city of Durban, South Africa (SA) in 1967. The British indentured Indians in the late 1800s to work the sugar cane…

Learn More about Pravin Chetty (South Africa)

Sait Mentes Birlik

In April 2013, my life took an unexpected turn when I was struck by a rare disorder known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). Until then, I had never heard of this…

Learn More about Sait Mentes Birlik

Matthew Poslusny

I was born with a very mild case of cerebral palsy. It mainly affected the strength and dexterity of my right arm and leg. I was always able to compensate…

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Clive Phillips

Learn More about Clive Phillips

L’histoire de Patrick

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Patrick’s Story

Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) changed Patrick’s life, but also that of his partner Marie-Pier. Learn how they overcame this ordeal by hearing their story of hope, perseverance and love during…

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Jennifer Burgand

I have been showing a positive “face” for quite some time now and life hasn’t been exactly rainbows and butterflies the past 6 years. Around the same time I was…

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La storia di Nancy Di Salvo

Italy

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Living Each Day to the Fullest

By Patrick Bohan Over 13 years I have had nine neurologists evaluate and retake my medical history. Whenever diagnosis is elusive, having a medical history retaken by different doctors is…

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Alejandra’s Story

Spain

My name is Alejandra and I have CIDP. It all started in 2006 with a bad flu. I was working 16 hours days and was having problems with my legs….

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Juan Antonio’s Story

Spain

In 1998, my sister and I were both diagnosed with GBS. After a misdiagnosis and three hospitals visits, it was finally determined we had Guillain-Barre Syndrome. At the time, no…

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Adrienn’s Story

My illness all started with muscle stiffness and numbness in my legs. By the time, I received a lumbar puncture; I was already in critical condition and placed on a…

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James Babington Smith

Scotland

It all started when I thought I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome many years ago. After making a reasonable recovery, I continued on to live my life to the fullest…

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Filip’s Story

I am Filip and I have CIDP. The first real symptoms I had of CIDP were when I had difficulty standing up straight without any support. This rose a concern…

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Phyllis’s MMN Story

Learn More about Phyllis’s MMN Story
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