The first time Andrew Mulholland had an inkling something might be wrong was when his left leg and right foot went numb.
Not even in his 40s at that point, the game developer remembers the sensation being “like he had put on tight boxers”.
That first worry became a very real diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.
The progressive brain and nerve condition’s symptoms can range from pins and needles to being wheelchair-bound.
There is no cure.
But Andrew, now 41, has travelled to the other side of the world from his Elgin home for $54,500 medical treatment.
This week, he spoke to us from Mexico where he is undergoing stem cell treatment.
‘It felt like I was wearing tight boxers’
In January, Andrew Mulholland was diagnosed with the brain and nerve condition.
He is a founder and director of leading game developer Hunted Cow Studios based on South Street.
Two years ago, Andrew first realised something could be wrong.
He said: “My left leg was numb up to my knee and my right foot got numb.
“It felt like I was wearing tight boxers.
“I went to Dr Gray’s for tests and doctors discovered it was a clinically isolated syndrome.
“That means it was the first time of having neurological issues. They also found lesions on my spine.”
The numbness seemed to disappear.
However, last October, he woke up with it returning.
He explained: “In October, I woke up with pins and needles in my fingers.
“I went back to the doctors who diagnosed me with MS after discovering a lesion higher up on my spine and a lesion on my brain.
“My left foot is numb at the bottom, my fingers feel a bit numb and I get headaches.
“Doctors say I have mild symptoms.
“The biggest scare is if you don’t do anything about, you could end up in a wheelchair.”
What is Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation?
Andrew began researching a treatment in Mexico, and decided to go for it.
Last month, he landed in South America to undergo Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.
This is chemotherapy where immune cells are removed.
The immune system is then rebuilt using stem cells from the bone marrow.
He is receiving treatment from Clinica Ruiz, in the city of Puebla, for around four weeks.
The private hospital is the largest specialist autoimmune disease centre of its kind in the world.
Andrew explained: “They do the treatment in the UK but won’t offer it unless you fail the other drugs first.
“I chose to go abroad to do it as a first line treatment.
“I discovered a lot of information about the treatment including on the MS Society website.
“It basically wipes out your immune system and rebuilds it by giving your own stem cells back.
“I paid for the treatment myself and it cost around $54,500 dollars for the process and I pay around another $2,750 dollars for a full-time care giver who looks after me and lives with me in the building.
“A lot of people take their partners or parents with them but Jules had to stay at home to look after our daughter.
“However, there are organisations who fundraise to help people get the treatment.”
“In Mexico, you have your own apartment, there’s a restaurant, you can get food delivered to the room, and there’s a rooftop garden you can sit in and socialise.”
Hopes for the treatment
He has high hopes for the treatment to stop his condition from deteriorating any further.
Andrew added: “It is the only treatment to stop the condition rather than just slow it down like others.
“I want to raise more awareness of this option as I was never told about it.
“They don’t call it a cure as it doesn’t fix previous damage but it stops further damage.
“I want to stop it before it becomes worse.
“I wish more people were given the choice in the UK to do it if they want to do it.”
Visit this Facebook group to follow his journey.
You can visit the MS Society website for more information about the treatment.
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