Holding Hope: A Journey After Transverse Myelitis

On the night of the 10 August 2025, Tinus Greyling suddenly began losing control of his legs and was taken to hospital. By the next morning, he woke up completely paralysed from the chest down. After multiple lumbar punctures, extensive blood tests, and several MRI scans, Tinus was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (a rare neurological condition in which inflammation of the spinal cord leads to nerve damage). This resulted in paraplegia from the T5 level downward.

The condition was triggered by the flu Tinus had contracted a week earlier, which caused an autoimmune response that attacked his spinal cord.

As a result of this injury, Tinus has no abdominal muscle function, no bladder or bowel function, and no sensation or motor function in his legs. He also struggles to cough properly because his core muscles no longer function as they should. The hospital immediately administered gold-standard treatment, including high-dose steroids, Polygam (an extremely expensive immunotherapy), and plasma exchange.

Tinus was then transferred to a specialised spinal rehabilitat...