Christmas at the Trails helps Kathleen woman continue medical treatment

KATHLEEN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Kathleen family is sharing its journey through years of serious illness as community support helps a young woman continue critical medical treatment.

Hannah Bennett has been battling lupus since she was very young, and just as she was about to begin her college career at Kennesaw State, a virus left her battling acute meningitis not once, but twice. Her mother, Beth Bennett, says it was heartbreaking.

“It leads us back to something that happened when she was 14 and originally diagnosed with lupus,” she said. “Some of the same similarities, and the rug was pulled right from under her with that illness. And that’s when they started the extensive treatment that led us to when she was about to go to college.”

She says Hannah was hit with another illness shortly after that, leaving her battling a new infection while also facing a brain biopsy for further treatment options.

“Basically, they had decided that the only option they had at that point, because lupus and meningitis require two different treatment modalities, they decided they would have to do a brain biopsy to differentiate if this was lupus or viral control.”

Beth says after many doctor visits in Atlanta, they were told there wasn’t much more that could be done. But with help from family and the community, Hannah was able to find another medical facility for treatment. It’s called the Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education.

“We did get some good news from Cleveland Clinic, that the inflammation in her brain was under control,” Bennett said. “And that led us to be able to focus on additional modalities to help her, not only keep that inflammation under control, but also to open up new clinical research and possibilities for us to get her into.”

Bennett says thanks to the community’s support during the Christmas at the Trails event hosted by Lake Joy Trails of Terror in Kathleen, the money raised will help pay for some of Hannah’s treatments, and for that, the family is grateful.

“It would be a blessing to say the least,” she said. “We’ve had so many people supporting us this far that has helped us in so many ways to make things happen that wouldn’t have been able to happen.”

Christmas at the Trails is set for this weekend, Friday though Sunday. Click here for more info, including times, prices and the location.