MARY HARDBARGER The Roanoke Times

For the past six months, Tammy O'Brien's time has been dedicated to planning "Jammin' for the Chronic Disease Fund," a fundraiser she will host later this month.

CHRISTIANSBURG -- Tammy O' Brien had almost given up hope -- and then she discovered the Chronic Disease Fund.

After many frustrating months of being denied coverage by insurance companies, O'Brien was convinced she would never be able to afford medication for her own chronic disease -- multiple sclerosis.

In early 2008, she was referred to the Chronic Disease Fund, which is based in Plano, Texas.

The fund is an independent, nonprofit organization "that helps underinsured patients with chronic disease, cancers or life-altering conditions obtain the expensive medications they need," according to its Web site.

In fact, the president of the fund, Mike Banigan, founded the organization after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 1992.

In O'Brien's case, the fund helps pay for her daily injections that would otherwise cost her nearly $2,500 a month.

"No one would be able to pay that," O'Brien said.

O'Brien, of Christiansburg, was incorrectly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 1984. In 1999, after years of taking medication for the wrong disease, MS resurfaced, and O'Brien knew that something was very wrong.

"The whole right side of my body went numb," O'Brien said. "I thought to myself, 'This is definitely not arthritis.' "

Over the next few years, O'Brien went through what she called "quite an ordeal."

Recently divorced, she had no insurance and was officially diagnosed with MS. When she met her second husband, Danny, she was hopeful that she would be covered by his insurance plan.

O'Brien was then hit with a harsh reality -- because her disease was pre-existing before her marriage to Danny, she would not be covered by his plan.

When she read about the Chronic Disease Fund, her hope was renewed.

"I said to my husband, these people [CDF] are so special," O'Brien said. "They actually take the time to talk to you and make you feel like you really matter."

Each year, O'Brien will have to resubmit information to requalify for the program.

"Even if I'm never covered again, I still feel the need to find a way to thank them," she explained.

So for the past six months, O'Brien's time has been dedicated to planning "Jammin' for the Chronic Disease Fund," a fundraiser she will hold later this month.

With help from her husband, she has reached out to local bands, vendors, friends and family to make the event a success.

All the proceeds will go to the fund, and O'Brien is excited to see the turnout for a cause that is very close to her heart.

"I've just been thinking [about the fundraiser] do the best you can," she said. "Get people interested and involved, make the most money you can, and give it your best."