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Denise Ryan's Medical Fund

About me - My name Denise Ryan, I'm 39 years old. I'm not a wife or a mother, I don't have a career. It's been 11 years since I've been able to do the normal things that people do like going for dinner or drinks, or seeing the world. 

I started getting very sick while living in Toronto from 2009 to 2012. I'd built a whole life for myself there, it had become home. I'd just been accepted to start college when I got too sick to work and had to leave my life to come back to Ireland to live with my parents. Over the next few years my illnesses progressed very quickly and I've been completely housebound.

In hindsight some of my illnesses had been coming on a long time. But, life wise, going from living half way across the world in Canada to a month later being back in Dublin, bed bound in my parents house, vomiting all day, being in horrible pain and experiencing incontinence and crushing fatigue was a real shock. And a wake up call that something was very, very wrong.


^^ when I was living in Toronto, to just 2 years later when I weighed 5 stone and my hair started to grow back after losing it.

In 2014 I was diagnosed with late stage Lyme disease and it's co-infections. In 2017 I was diagnosed with severe gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), severe osteoporosis, muscle wasting and malabsorption. At that time I weighed just 5 stone (70lbs) and had lost all my hair. I've developed crippling fatigue, arthritis, heart complications, along with speech + memory problems from Lyme disease spreading to my neurological system and it's now effecting the function of my left eye.

In 2019 I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a debilitating connective tissue disorder that effects the whole body and explained my life long health problems. I'm currently fed through an NJ tube, which is a feeding tube that goes through my nose and into my small intestine because I can't eat due to the severe gastroparesis.

Before I got sick I never asked anyone for help with anything, I was a very private person. Spending years trying to find doctors in Ireland that could help me, I learned the hard way that there were none and that healthcare here it so far from what it should be. 7 gastroenterologists refused to even see me because they said they knew nothing about gastroparesis. My local politician appealed to the Irish Minister of Health for help, but the government here do nothing for patients who have to travel to America because they can't get the medical treatment they should be able to get.

No-one should have to travel 4,520 miles for healthcare.


^^ I have muscle wasting from malabsorption and whole digestive tract dysfunction 

After fundraising with my previous GoFundMe page for the last 3 years I've been able to go Seattle to see 2 gastroenterologists who are specialists in motility disorders and immune system disfunction and to see my Lyme disease doctor. As unbelievably tough as it is I've had to go alone when I travel for treatment because it's expensive for my mom to be able to come with me and every penny goes to my medical treatment. 

I'm incredibly grateful to have these amazing doctors but it's been really hard to make progress because the damage that's been caused from being so sick for so long, is spreading. My illnesses are permanent so I've had to open this new GoFundMe page.


^^ my NJ tube, I mix white powder with water and it's runs through a feeding pump into my tube. This is how I "eat".

I've also recently been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, which could be Lupus or the early stages of Scleroderma, myself and my doctor's aren't sure which yet without the specific tests and biopsies. My uncle passed away from Scleroderma, it's a brutal disease so to have that on top of my current illnesses could be fatal. 


^^ my stomach is extremely distended because of inflammation and damage that's getting worse all the time. It's very painful and makes it hard to breathe as it pushes up against my lungs.

The urgent medical treatment this page will fund -

I have to return to Seattle yearly to get my medications, for consultant appointments, tests and treatment:
- Appointments with my specialists at the University of Washington Hospital, Swedish and Edmonds Hospital
- Biopsies to find out which autoimmune disease I have
- Medications, Supplements, and Medical Supplies
- IV nutrients to help build my immune system and stop my body so rapidly degenerating.
- Bloodwork, CT scans and MRI's
- Physiotherapy for muscle wasting and joint pain
- Flight and accommodation


^^ Lyme disease can cause carditis and heart complications. Babesia, a co-infection of Lyme disease can also cause heart palpitations. 

I really need your help -

I'm determined to continue to fight for my life. The way things are, this is not living. I've lost so many years to these illnesses and they've taken all the good from my life. I want so much to be able to have some quality of life.

No donation is too small. It'll take a community to reach this goal so if you can help, or know someone who can help, or can organize a fundraising event wherever you are in the world, it would mean so much to me.

You can also donate directly to -
Denise Ryan Medical Fund
BIC: BOFIIE2D
IBAN: IE03BOFI90109589132842

or via PayPal to - 

From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much,

Denise x



Note: My previous GoFundMe page was called gofundme.com/10000tenners, which was how I afforded seeing the 2 gastroenterologists and my medical care in Seattle over the past 3 years. So I called this page gofundme.com/10000tenners2!

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Donations 

  • Kirsty McCarthy
    • €10 
    • 7 d
  • Paul Burton
    • €5 
    • 12 d
  • Karen Raine
    • €5 
    • 1 mo
  • Elaine Malone
    • €20 
    • 1 mo
  • margaret cashman
    • €25 
    • 2 mos
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Organizer

Denise Ryan
Organizer

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