The sudden onset of Neuromyelitis Optica in December 2014 rendered Jake Peters a quadriplegic overnight
Published in the February 17 – March 1, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Lauren Newcomb
Photo courtesy the Peters family
Jake Peters, right, and his father Rex. Jake suffers from Neuromyelitis Optica. A fundraiser will be held at Sola Salon Studios Feb. 21.
A little more than a year ago, Jake Peters lost the use of his arms and legs due to a very rare disease. It turned his and his family’s lives upside down as the now 17-year-old went from living life as a normal high school student to someone struggling to move and breathe.
Deborah Wright-Peters, Jake’s stepmother, helps to take care of Jake when she is at home in Santa Clarita. Every few weeks, however, she commutes from her home to Morgan Hill, where she operates her business at Sola Salon Studios as a hair stylist.
One of Wright-Peters’ fellow stylists, Rebeca Alvarez, decided that she wanted to help Wright-Peters and her family through this trying time. “Sometimes we feel helpless,” Alvarez said, “Being so far away from them. But we’ve found a way to help.”
Alvarez and the other stylists at Sola Salon Studios are hosting a Cut-A-Thon, and all proceeds will go to Jake Peters’ rehabilitation fund. The event will include haircuts, henna tattoos, entertainment, raffles, and a bake sale. All 17 studios will take part in the Cut-A-Thon, offering haircuts and blowouts for $30 each.
“We’ve come together as independent business owners to organize the Cut-A-Thon,” Alvarez said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to help out our dear friend and co-worker and her family.”
The proceeds from the Cut-A-Thon will benefit Jake Peters. Rehabilitation will help Jake improve physically and accomplish his goal of graduating high school. The rehabilitation fund will go toward providing Jake with necessary physical therapy such as joint and muscle manipulation to keep his muscles from atrophying, strengthening his diaphragm and legs through the use of a standing frame, and regular massages. It will also aid in the purchase of medical supplies and any further rehabilitation equipment.
Jake suffers from Neuromyelitis Optica, a rare disease in which the autoimmune system attacks the myelin sheaths on the nerves of the spinal cord and optical nerve. The sudden onset of this disease in December 2014 rendered Jake a quadriplegic overnight.
Every six months, Jake must undergo chemotherapy to suppress his immune system and prevent any further damage to his spinal cord and optical nerve.
“His case is the fifth most severe in the U.S.,” Wright-Peters said. “Our main goal now is to keep him stable on a daily basis, assist in his rehabilitation, and help him finish his senior year.”
Before his attack, Jake was a vibrant student athlete. His game is changed now as he continues to fight the disease, learning how to breathe and transition into a power chair. His team — his family, friends, doctors, and therapists — supports him in this fight.
Despite his ongoing ordeal, Jake finds humor in everyday life as a way to stay positive and enjoy himself.
He is an avid sports fan, as evidenced by his wish to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Foundation recently granted Jake’s wish to see the 2016 MLB All-Star Game in San Diego. “His second wish was to meet Scarlett Johansson,” Wright-Peters laughed, “but he’s excited that his first wish was granted instead.”
The Cut-A-Thon to benefit Jake Peters will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at Sola Salon Studios, 18585 Monterey Road. #140. Anyone who cannot attend but wishes to donate can do so at www.gofundme.com/jakepeters.
