Carrie Beckwith-Fellows must raise £68,000 by September 1 to avoid cancelling the surgery to fuse her spine in order to stop it collapsing and crushing her brainstem.
With £32,000 raised so far, and the daunting target proving difficult to reach, Carrie and her wife Lisa have issued a further desperate plea asking for help in any form.
The surgery is not available on the NHS due to a lack of research and doubt over the procedure’s benefit to patients with Carrie’s condition, known as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Carrie therefore plans to travel to a specialist in Spain.
The surgeon in Barcelona has said that Carrie’s latest test results show her condition is continuing to deteriorate rapidly, and he wants her to go over earlier than planned to get her symptoms under control.
Due to Carrie not being able to sit up straight, driving to Barcelona in a reclining chair is the only option other than an air ambulance, which would cost a further £30,000.
The couple are moving into a bungalow in Wark in the next few weeks to provide closer access to experienced carers who can help with Carrie’s complex care needs.
However, Carrie’s cognitive and memory function continue to decline.
“A very close family member contacted Carrie recently and she couldn’t remember who she was. That was a huge shock to us both, and she’s terrified she’ll start to forget me and her parents too,” Lisa said.
Donations to Carrie’s Fund can be made at gofundme.com/carriesfund100k
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