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Mom credits timely diagnosis for early treatment of blasto
Posted By By Reg Clayton
Posted 18 hours ago

Guests of honour Jessica Collinson and daughter Danielle at the spaghetti dinner and silent auction at Jubilee Church, Saturday. The fundraiser was organized by Collinson s coworkers at Saakaate Women s Shelter to help the family with medical expenses as Danielle and her brother Dustin recover from Blastomycosis.Photo by Reg Clayton

   

Single mom Jessica Collinson was dealt a double blow when first her daughter Danielle, 11, and then a few weeks later her son Dustin, 10, were diagnosed with Blastomycosis, a rare fungal infection with pneumonia-like symptoms endemic to the Kenora area.

She credits a local physician for his timely diagnosis of the illness, sometimes referred to as the ‘Great Mimic’ as symptoms are similar to pneumonia and can be misdiagnosed as a bacterial infection but as blasto is fungal in nature and spread by airborne spores, it does not respond to antibiotics.

“Dr. Harland has seen it before and right away had a hunch it was blasto,” Collinson said, adding Danielle was treated for pneumonia while awaiting the test results for blasto.

To assist the family with medical expenses and living expenses while Collinson is off work, her co-workers at Saakaatake House Women’s Shelter organized a spaghetti dinner and silent auction fundraiser at Jubilee Church on Saturday.

“We planned for 200 people and thought that would not be out of reach,” commented organizer Colette Surovy, during the well-attended event. “We’ve had fabulous donations and we’re overwhelmed by the out-pouring of generosity by people in the community.”

Collinson said her workplace medical benefit plan doesn’t cover the children’s medication and appreciates the support the family received from local businesses and individuals.

“I feel very fortunate to be part of such a helpful community,” she concluded.