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Funds raised for Vernon woman who awoke mysteriously paralyzed

Friends are rallying support for Charmaine Scherck, who suffered a spinal cord stroke on Sept. 17
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Charmaine Scherck with her fiancee, Jason. Friends of the Vernon mortgage broker have started a GoFundMe after a spinal cord stroke left her paralyzed from the chest down Sept. 17, 2020. (Contributed)

A Vernon mortgage broker has been on a month-long recovery journey after a mysterious medical incident left her paralyzed from the chest down, and friends and family are now reaching out to the public for support.

A GoFundMe campaign has been started of Charmaine Scherck, who arrived at the Vernon Jubilee Hospital after experiencing heart attack-like symptoms on Sept. 17. She was quickly transported to Kelowna General Hospital, and after numerous tests, doctors determined she had suffered a spinal cord stroke.

Doctors have told Scherck she’s a medical mystery and she’s still undergoing tests to determine the cause of her paralysis.

“Charmaine continues daily to work against the paralysis by doing rehab two times a day,” friend Jillian Almeida said in the campaign description. “Her strength and positivity is truly an inspiration. She is adamant she will walk again soon.”

After the stroke, Scherck lost all ability to move her lower extremities. But Almeida said she’s come a long way this past month.

“She has been completely dedicated to the recovery of her legs and since has regained some movement on her right side,” her post reads.

The road ahead to a full recovery is a long and uncertain one and there will be many expenses along the way, including more extensive rehab and making her home wheelchair accessible. The fundraising effort aims to relieve some of the costs of these expenses.

“Our main goal is to get her home to continue more extensive rehab to be close to her family and friends and her community,” Almeida said. “While she gave me some push back on this, some financial support will be essential in her care that she can receive at home.”

As of Tuesday morning, Oct. 20, the GoFundMe campaign has raised just over $3,000 of its $65,000 goal. Almeida said Scherck has been overwhelmed by the support she’s received so far.

“Anyone who knows Charmaine well knows she is a beautiful, spiritual soul that gives in any way she can to her community in Vernon,” Almeida said.

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Brendan Shykora
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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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