Mike Gregory Trust Fund

Mike Gregory’s illness
From being an epitome of health and vigour, Mike is now suffering from a debilitating illness known as Progressive Muscular Atrophy – a form of Motor Neurone Disease. It is believed that during rugby league duties in Australia in 2003, when Mike was a coach, he was bitten by a tic which was carrying an infection known as Borrelia.
Though Mike was totally unaware of the bite, he later developed a large red-ring rash, unbeknown to him at the time that this rash was the hallmark for Borrelia (the causative agent of Lymes Disease) – and ushered in the beginning of the biggest fight of his life.

Mike and his loving young family, while trying to deal with the day-to-day difficulties of a debilitating illness, have been searching the world for answers about the involvement of Borrelia in neurological illnesses.

They have had the courage to push the boundaries of medical science in order to understand Mike’s illness – and therefore try and help other, future sufferers.
In doing so, they have found that in the world of neurology there is a populations of patients like Mike, who are classed as having Laboratory Abnormalities of Uncertain Significance.

By treating these abnormalities, the disease can be halted and the life-threatening situation can be reversed. This is where Borrelia – the infection from the original tic bite – fits into the picture.

Borrelia is one of the abnormalities that has been identified as causing this type of neurological illness, and the medical world does not know how. So by treating the infection, we can hopefully return Mike to better health.

The Trust
The Mike Gregory Trust Fund began by friends and supporters from the rugby league community who knew of Mike’s plight and his family’s endeavours – they felt compelled to do something to help. They became aware of the medical costs involved in Mike’s treatment and by organising a variety of events, came to Mike’s aid.

It is Mike and his family’s intention that the Trust fund will be used to cover his continuing medical expenses and that, in the future, to do an awareness campaign about the effects of Borreliosis/Lymes Disease. They believe that had they known what the rash meant – and pursued the treatment straight away – they would not be where they are today.
In September, a national newspaper featured an article about Lymes Disease/Borreliosis and how destructive it can be. It can cause cardiac, neurological and joint problems. The tic that carry Borreliosis does not just exist in Australia, it lives in Great Britain too – and people need to be made aware of its potentially disastrous effects, if left untreated.