Young dad, Marios Christou, desperate to travel to Russia for MS treatment

·

The life of Ocean Grove dad, Marios Christou, changed forever when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2015, about a year after he first experienced numbness and tingling down his left side.

Marios and his wife, Georget, had moved to the Bellarine Peninsula from Cyprus in 2013, eager to create a wonderful life after discovering their first child was on the way.

The 34-year-old, who is dad to 7-year-old Marissa and 6-year-old Angelo, told The Geelong Advertiser the diagnosis was a shock and life-changing.

“In the beginning I was so sad and angry,” he said to the newspaper.

MS is an auto-immune disease of the central nervous system, which interferes with nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.

Marios Christou. Photo: The Geelong Advertiser.

There is no known cure for the disease, but there are treatment options available to help manage symptoms including one called autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT).

This costly treatment involves harvesting stem cells from patients, giving them doses of chemotherapy, then replacing the stem cells in the patient’s body. The aim is to ‘reset’ the immune system to stop it attacking the body.

The only problem is that AHSCT is only available in Australia through three observational clinical trials at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital and in Melbourne at Austin Health and The Alfred Hospital.

As a result Marios, who owns Mavros Fish and Chips with Georget, plans to travel to Russia next year to undergo the treatment. He has already connected with a doctor in Moscow.

Marios told The Geelong Advertiser he was “very nervous but excited” about the prospect of travelling to Russia.

People can donate at a GoFundMe page titled ‘Please Help Mario Christou Beat MS,’ which has already raised more than $16,000.

Source: The Geelong Advertiser.

greek film festival melbourne

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Kostas Sloukas praises Greek Australian fans as Panathinaikos arrive in Sydney

Panathinaikos BC touched down in Sydney this week for the second leg of the 7th Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament.

From family legacy to the Federal Court: A look into Justice Anastasis Liveris’ legal career

In an exclusive interview with The Greek Herald, the Greek Australian judge reflected on how he felt to achieve this major career milestone.

The Greek influence on Australian television

Among the many communities that helped shape TV culture were Greeks, whose presence both on and off screen left a lasting mark.

Critically endangered monk seal welcomes newborn on Karpathos island

The first Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) birth of 2025 has been confirmed on the island of Karpathos.

Campaigners celebrate as Milos luxury hotel project is halted

Environmental activists have welcomed the suspension of a controversial five-star hotel project on Milos’s world-famous “moon beach”.

You May Also Like

Meningococcal warning issued to parishioners at Newtown Greek Orthodox church

A meningococcal warning has been issued for churchgoers from the Saint Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Newtown.

Greek American professor to talk in Sydney on the migration experience as a journey

“The migration experience as a journey: A personal tale and collective reflection” event will be presented by Professor Yiorgos Anagnostou

Greece and New Zealand become the first to use android earthquake alerts

Greece and New Zealand have today become the first countries to get access to a Google technology that turns Android phones into a network...