Paula needs your help

My sister Paula has been suffering with Anorexia since she was 12 years old. When she was 13 she started attending CAMHS in Merlin Park, a mental health service for teenagers. This service was absolutely necessary for Paula’s treatment. They offered both in-patient and out-patient facilities which were vital for her mental well-being. When she was 17 she spent 10 months as an in-patient there. She was improving drastically as a result. However, as soon as Paula turned 18, the facilities were not the same. There are no public facilities for people with eating disorders, even in the psychiatric unit in Galway. She went into UHG in November of last year where she was fed through a tube for 5 days. My parents spent 24 hours a day with her. Because there is nowhere to turn to, my parents had to look into private treatment in Lois Bridges, Dublin. There are no private facilities in the west of Ireland. Paula has been refused any funding from the HSE, even though they cannot provide any public treatment for her. Since the middle of December my parents have been paying 3100 euro a week for her treatment, along with medication bills and GP visits. My mother has been to local councilors, TD’s, the HSE directly, but has been refused the funding every time. She also went live on the radio to speak about the lack of funding, but we haven't heard anything since. There are many patients who have received the funding, so it is definitely possible. We are running out of options, and if we don’t get the funding, we will have no choice but to take her out of her treatment. There are no alternatives – Paula will be back in UHG with no help. Paula wants her life back. She was in her second year of college, studying Anatomy in NUIG, which she has now had to postpone because of her illness. She loves sports, playing football for her local team St Fursey’s in Headford. She has a loving boyfriend of 6 years, many many friends, and a family who miss her. My family want to be able to give her the life she deserves, but we need help. I’m doing this fundraiser for her, because our health service has let Paula down. We are still fighting the case, but in the mean time I’m asking for your help. I was reluctant to set up this GoFundMe page, but I will do anything to help my sister get the help she needs. Anorexia is such a strange illness, but it is serious. If you have anything, a euro, two or fifty it doesn't matter - every little bit will help her. Thank you.