Manning native Brian Mance made a name for himself at Clemson University by playing with a hard-nosed and gritty attitude.
He will need that grit and determination as he fights a disorder that is threatening to rob him of his second season with Wofford College, where he was named cornerback coach in April 2015.
Mance was diagnosed in July with neurosarcoidosis, a rare autoimmune disorder, and spent 21 days in the hospital. On July 25, he was transferred to a rehabilitation center that specializes in the type of extensive therapy that will help him regain his mobility.
“Brian is doing pretty good,” wife Torrun Mance told TigerNet. “He is making progress every day. It’s just been a slow process, but he is doing pretty good.”
Mance’s friends are looking to raise at least $65,000 to cover his medical costs, which include a 75-mile trip one way for the family to his rehabilitation center nearly every day, according to a GoFundMe page set up in his honor.
According to the page, Mance, Torrun and their son, Jaden, were celebrating July 4 in the Clarendon area with family and friends when Mance began experiencing neck pain.
“The pain became so severe that they ended up at the emergency room, where Brian became increasingly worse and began to lose all mobility in his limbs,”
Mance and his family consulted more than seven doctors, and finally confirmed a diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis.
The illness manifests itself in abnormalities of the cranial nerves, a group of 12 nerves supplying the head and neck area, and treatment is through immunosuppressants.
Symptoms include reduced function on one or both sides of the face; reduction in visual perception due to optic nerve involvement; double vision; hearing loss; vertigo; swallowing problems; weakness of the shoulder muscles; seizures; and problems with the portion of the brain that deals with mobility.
“We are all believers and know the love and grace of God and the power of prayer,” reads Mance’s GoFundMe page. “We ask for your prayers for Brian and his family. He is a loving husband and father of an adorable 19-month old son. Help us get the word out and share our page and his story.”
A little more than $20,000 toward the overall goal has been raised thus far. You may donate at www.gofundme.com/2g9z97e4.
