there are many things in this world that I can't explain and that I can't control.  Yet I fight seemlingly endless battles to do things that sometimes are in the end meaningless.  I am fighting a battle with a very rare disease called chronic progressive neuro-behcet's or at least that was my diagnosis.  Now it is Behcet's with another unknown serious neurological disease.  I have been through the ringer testing everything here and there all the way to the NIH in Bethesda.  The symptoms are showing a new meaning to the word grim but that is not my focus.  My focus on the living and things that I can control.  A sad turn of events will not be enough to make this life crumble.  Sure, it is a hard life, but the things I'm learning and the things that I am able to do are amazing when I can do them.

I am changing day by day, piece by piece.  I created this site to share this experience and how I want to change this world that I live in.  Even if my time here is shortened by my battle, the battle will not be in vain.  I do believe that we live in a world worth saving, worth changing for the better.  But we all must awaken to this effort and not sit idle expecting great things to come from others.  We all must take small steps together.

This is my experience, my struggle, and hopefully an insight into the legacy that I build and eventually leave behind.

My name is Andy and this is my story

Donations & Support

Check or Cash Donations for medical and other expenses may be sent to tax-deductable 501c organization Appalachian Community Mission at:

Appalachian Community Mission

c/o Ryan Snuffer

P.O. Box 460

Beckley, WV  25802

(304) 222-3132 

Make sure to mark the donation for the Andy Barwick Medical Fund. 

Thanks for your interest in helping Andy and his family.  We now know that time here is limited for Andy and our focus is becoming less on the disease on more on life and the living.