Pedal Power to host fund raiser for young nurse with rare disorder

Published Mar 7, 2016 at 5:38 pm (Updated Mar 7, 2016)

Photos

Photo by Barbara Kastrati Teresa Thomas (left), owner of Pedal Power, 6 High St. in Warwick, will open her studio March 19 for a benefit spin class to raise funds for the niece of Lynne Lorimer (right), a spin instructor at Pedal Power.
Kelly Tomi

WARWICK — On Saturday, March 19, Teresa Thomas, owner of Pedal Power, 6 High St. in the Village of Warwick, will open her studio for a benefit spin class fund raiser for the niece of Lynne Lorimer, a spin instructor at Pedal Power.

Lorimer's niece, Kelly Tomi of Westtown, is recovering from Guillian-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks itself. Weakness and tingling are the first symptoms and it eventually paralyzes the whole body.

Tingling and numbness begins in September

Tomi, who had recently graduated from SUNY Orange with a nursing degree and had passed her national nursing exam, first experienced tingling and numbness in her toes last September.

The numbness continued to spread throughout her body and she soon began having trouble breathing and was put on a breathing tube one day before her 22nd birthday.

Tomi was paralyzed from her neck down and spent three weeks in Westchester Medical Center.

She was then transferred to Helen Hayes Hospital for slow painful rehabilitation. Every month she made progress, first with some shoulder movement, then arms.

Last January, Tomi was able to walk out of Helen Hayes with the assistance of a walker and leg braces. She is currently recovering at home and still working hard with her physical and occupational therapy.

The March 19 fund raiser is being held to help with her medical bills.

Essential information

• Fund raiser classes, including refreshments, will be 45-minute sessions starting at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.

• A suggested minimum donation is $20 to reserve a bike

• For additional information call Thomas at 845-313-8699.

• To sign up online visit www.pedalpowerinc.com.

• If you cannot make the class and would like to make a donation of any kind, there is a Go Fund Me Facebook page, "Kelly's Medical Bills/Recovery," with her complete story and updates.

- Roger Gavan