Please help an amazing woman after being paralyzed
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Please help an amazing woman left paralysed by Transverse Myelitis.
Hi, my names is Sofia and I am trying to raise money to help my amazing friend and former boss Gail Smith. Gail was left paralysed by a condition called Transverse Myelitis following a viral infection on the 18th May 2019. She was rushed to hospital with a high temperature and in a delirious state. She was told it was the flu and sent home without any treatment or further testing. In the following weeks, while the flu cleared up, Gail was unable to eat due to constant sickness. She lost two stone in weight, but was told that as she wasn’t considered to be “underweight” to keep up her fluid intake and rest. While Gail became weaker and weaker her husband was preparing to go into hospital for major heart surgery on the 3rd July.
Gail went to stay with her parents as she was so unwell and while there she fell over and couldn’t get back up. She was rushed to Prince Charles hospital in Merthyr Tydfil on the 4th of July with a suspected stroke. Upon examination it was found that she had a condition called Transverse Myelitis which is a rare neurological condition that causes chronic inflammation of the spinal chord. The doctors believe that the Transverse Myelitis was brought on by the untreated viral infection she originally had.
Gail was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for Plasma Exchange Therapy to try and reverse the inflammation in her spine. This treatment only works if done within 72hrs of the initial symptoms of Transverse Myelitis. She was swabbed for MRSA on admission to the UHW and sent for the Plasma Exchange Therapy, which is done via a central line into jugular vein. Unfortunately the line wasn’t put in correctly and had a ‘kink’ in preventing the treatment. Doctors removed the central line but due to the MRSA nose swab results not being checked (they were positive for MRSA) the virus got into her blood and caused Sepsis.
Gail’s parents were called to the hospital to say their goodbyes and she felt herself dying. Her husband was distraught as he couldn’t get there due to his heart operation. Thankfully she survived like the absolute warrior she is, but the window of time for treatment passed. Gail remained seriously ill with MRSA and an unknown viral infection that left her too unwell to start any kind of physio therapy.
In the weeks that followed Gail was struck with a fever causing her to suffer with hallucinations. She later described this period as feeling like a caged animal, trapped in a hospital bed after years of being constantly active.
On the 4th of October 2019 Gail was finally well enough to be moved to Rookwood Spinal Rehabilitation Hospital, where she remains to this day. She has been doing everything she can to try and get better in the hope of regaining use of her legs. Tragically the prognosis isn’t good and she has been told this won’t happen.
To add to this already tragic situation, Gail had just started a new job setting up a new service for homeless people in Merthyr Tydfil. As she was still in her probationary period and the consultants from Rookwood are unable to give any kind of time scale for when she would be able to return to work, her contract of employment was terminated. This has had a detrimental effect on both her and her partner’s quality of life. Gail was the primary contributor following her husband losing his sight in one eye in 2018 due to Diabetes. Simon is an artist and prop maker and the loss of his sight had an impact on his ability to work.
Ok, now here’s the part where I ask for your help.
I am hoping to raise £5000 to help Gail and her husband Simon to adapt their home in order for her to return and live as comfortably as possible. The money raised will go towards a new chair for Gail that she is able to transfer in and out of from her wheelchair. The funds raised would also go towards a new, wheelchair accessable car.
I was fortunate enough to start working with Gail in 2012 as her volunteer in substance misuse services. This opportunity was life changing for me and gave me a career to make myself and my sons proud. I learnt so much from her and was blown away by her knowledge and heart. Gail has worked in substance misuse services for over 20 years and I can honestly say I have never known anyone care so much about the most chaotic homeless drug users with a range of complex needs. The people that most would cross the road to avoid, Gail would sit in hospital all night with. If you asked her why she always goes above and beyond for the most difficult services users, she would always answer, “Who else will?”
For so many people who have no one in the world to care for them, Gail would step in and offer support in any way she could. She has been described by four separate female service users as being there for them like a Mum should. While constantly being understated and refusing any praise, Gail has implemented practices and started pilots of ground breaking treatments that have indirectly saved hundreds of lives and personally kept people alive in their darkest times so they can go on to recover and live the life they deserve. She’s that much in demand that she’s being scouted for work from a number of agencies in preparation for her inevitable return to the sector.
She is going to kill me for doing this (She hates fuss/sympathy/being told what a good person she is), but I have to try. No one deserves this to happen to them, but for it to happen to someone who cares so much about other people just breaks my heart. So please, if you could make a contribution that would be hugely beneficial to Gail. If not, please at least share her story far and wide and do your bit to make her recovery as comfortable as possible. The quicker we can get Gail back to her role in vital substance misuse services the more lives you will save in the long run. Gail is a legend in our greatly overlooked sector. Soon to return a legend on wheels!
Hi, my names is Sofia and I am trying to raise money to help my amazing friend and former boss Gail Smith. Gail was left paralysed by a condition called Transverse Myelitis following a viral infection on the 18th May 2019. She was rushed to hospital with a high temperature and in a delirious state. She was told it was the flu and sent home without any treatment or further testing. In the following weeks, while the flu cleared up, Gail was unable to eat due to constant sickness. She lost two stone in weight, but was told that as she wasn’t considered to be “underweight” to keep up her fluid intake and rest. While Gail became weaker and weaker her husband was preparing to go into hospital for major heart surgery on the 3rd July.
Gail went to stay with her parents as she was so unwell and while there she fell over and couldn’t get back up. She was rushed to Prince Charles hospital in Merthyr Tydfil on the 4th of July with a suspected stroke. Upon examination it was found that she had a condition called Transverse Myelitis which is a rare neurological condition that causes chronic inflammation of the spinal chord. The doctors believe that the Transverse Myelitis was brought on by the untreated viral infection she originally had.
Gail was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for Plasma Exchange Therapy to try and reverse the inflammation in her spine. This treatment only works if done within 72hrs of the initial symptoms of Transverse Myelitis. She was swabbed for MRSA on admission to the UHW and sent for the Plasma Exchange Therapy, which is done via a central line into jugular vein. Unfortunately the line wasn’t put in correctly and had a ‘kink’ in preventing the treatment. Doctors removed the central line but due to the MRSA nose swab results not being checked (they were positive for MRSA) the virus got into her blood and caused Sepsis.
Gail’s parents were called to the hospital to say their goodbyes and she felt herself dying. Her husband was distraught as he couldn’t get there due to his heart operation. Thankfully she survived like the absolute warrior she is, but the window of time for treatment passed. Gail remained seriously ill with MRSA and an unknown viral infection that left her too unwell to start any kind of physio therapy.
In the weeks that followed Gail was struck with a fever causing her to suffer with hallucinations. She later described this period as feeling like a caged animal, trapped in a hospital bed after years of being constantly active.
On the 4th of October 2019 Gail was finally well enough to be moved to Rookwood Spinal Rehabilitation Hospital, where she remains to this day. She has been doing everything she can to try and get better in the hope of regaining use of her legs. Tragically the prognosis isn’t good and she has been told this won’t happen.
To add to this already tragic situation, Gail had just started a new job setting up a new service for homeless people in Merthyr Tydfil. As she was still in her probationary period and the consultants from Rookwood are unable to give any kind of time scale for when she would be able to return to work, her contract of employment was terminated. This has had a detrimental effect on both her and her partner’s quality of life. Gail was the primary contributor following her husband losing his sight in one eye in 2018 due to Diabetes. Simon is an artist and prop maker and the loss of his sight had an impact on his ability to work.
Ok, now here’s the part where I ask for your help.
I am hoping to raise £5000 to help Gail and her husband Simon to adapt their home in order for her to return and live as comfortably as possible. The money raised will go towards a new chair for Gail that she is able to transfer in and out of from her wheelchair. The funds raised would also go towards a new, wheelchair accessable car.
I was fortunate enough to start working with Gail in 2012 as her volunteer in substance misuse services. This opportunity was life changing for me and gave me a career to make myself and my sons proud. I learnt so much from her and was blown away by her knowledge and heart. Gail has worked in substance misuse services for over 20 years and I can honestly say I have never known anyone care so much about the most chaotic homeless drug users with a range of complex needs. The people that most would cross the road to avoid, Gail would sit in hospital all night with. If you asked her why she always goes above and beyond for the most difficult services users, she would always answer, “Who else will?”
For so many people who have no one in the world to care for them, Gail would step in and offer support in any way she could. She has been described by four separate female service users as being there for them like a Mum should. While constantly being understated and refusing any praise, Gail has implemented practices and started pilots of ground breaking treatments that have indirectly saved hundreds of lives and personally kept people alive in their darkest times so they can go on to recover and live the life they deserve. She’s that much in demand that she’s being scouted for work from a number of agencies in preparation for her inevitable return to the sector.
She is going to kill me for doing this (She hates fuss/sympathy/being told what a good person she is), but I have to try. No one deserves this to happen to them, but for it to happen to someone who cares so much about other people just breaks my heart. So please, if you could make a contribution that would be hugely beneficial to Gail. If not, please at least share her story far and wide and do your bit to make her recovery as comfortable as possible. The quicker we can get Gail back to her role in vital substance misuse services the more lives you will save in the long run. Gail is a legend in our greatly overlooked sector. Soon to return a legend on wheels!
Fundraising team: Team Smithy (2)
Sofia Boczek
Organizer
Raised £625 from 30 donations
Wales
Simon Smith
Beneficiary
Lowri Raworth
Team member
Raised £20 from 1 donation
This team raised £1,115 from 49 other donations.
