Help Me Walk Again. Help Me Heal. Help Me Return to the Children Who Need Support.

My name is Natascha, and I was born with Bertolotti’s Syndrome, a congenital condition causing severe and progressive lower back pain. As a result, my spine has developed degenerative disc disease. For the past 20 years, I have lived in constant, worsening pain and for the past 20 years, the NHS has informed me that I was headed toward inevitable loss of mobility.

With my condition reaching a critical point this year, I saved enough money to afford an appointment with a private spinal specialist so that I could receive a second opinion. After considering my case history and MRIs, Dr Mohammed Akmal at the London Spinal Unit identified that my condition was not only operable, but that it should have been operated on years ago. After years of non-surgical treatment, the damage to my spine is severe, but it is not too late. A lumbar fusion surgery - a commonly performed procedure for people with my condition - would stabilise my spine, stop the pain and enable me to get my life back.

I have run out of time waiting for the NHS. It is clear that I need to have this surgery done privately.

This is why I am asking for your help.

Continue below to read more of my story.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

My Condition: A Life in Pain

Bertolotti’s Syndrome, a congenital condition where an overgrown vertebra irritates the hip bone, causes severe and progressive lower back pain. As a result, my spine has developed degenerative disc disease, including Modic Type 2 changes, meaning my spinal bones are now rubbing together. The pain is constant. It radiates through my hips, down my legs, and into my daily life.

I’ve spent over 20 years doing everything I can to cope:

• Cortisol injections

• Physiotherapy

• Acupuncture

• Hydrotherapy

• Mindfulness

• Pain clinics

• Medications

All of it helped, for a moment, but none of it changed my reality. My life has been centered around managing pain. I was told of no surgery option, and that loss of mobility by the age of 40 was almost certain.

I believed it. I prepared for it. I picked out the wheelchair I might need. I slowly said goodbye to the active, creative, vibrant woman I once was.

My Passion: Helping Children Heal Through Art

Despite the pain, I poured myself into the one thing that kept me going: my love for children. I’ve spent over 14 years working in schools, the last 10 in a school I adored, supporting children with emotional and developmental needs.

Seven of those years were spent with a single class, I watched them grow, thrive, and overcome the world’s challenges. They inspired me to pursue my biggest dream: becoming an Art Psychotherapist.

Art therapy saved me in my youth. It helped me process my own pain, and I knew in my heart that I wanted to pass that gift on. In September 2024, after 16 years of working toward it, I finally started my Master’s in Art Psychotherapy.

But in May 2025, my health took a devastating turn.

I Can No Longer Walk Unaided

My spine seized up. I can no longer walk unaided, carry out basic daily activities, cycle, walk in nature, or create art with the same freedom I once had.

And worst of all, I had to withdraw from my Master’s program. The dream I worked so hard to build has come to a halt. The pain is so intense and so constant that even sitting or lying down feels like torture.

I was ready to accept this as the beginning of the end of my mobility.

Why I Need Your Help

The NHS is still not offering me this surgery, despite it being available. They’ve discharged me from their services, and after years of closed doors, I no longer have time to wait. The longer I delay, the worse my condition will become. I’m living every day in agony.

This surgery must be done privately, with Dr. Akmal, and it comes at a cost that I simply cannot afford alone.

The cost of the surgery is £25,000

Every single penny raised through this campaign will go directly toward:

• The cost of spinal fusion surgery with Dr. Akmal

• Pre- and post-operative care

• Physiotherapy to regain strength

• Mobility equipment to support recovery

• The ability to return to my master’s program and finish my journey to becoming an Art Psychotherapist

What You’re Giving Me

You’re not just helping me walk again.

You’re not just relieving a woman of 20 years of pain.

You’re giving me the chance to return to the life I’ve built.

To finish my studies. To return to helping children heal.

To live, not just survive.

Please Help Me Get My Life Back

I never thought I’d have to ask like this, but I cannot do it alone. Your donation, no matter how small, will bring me closer to a life free from pain, full of purpose, and filled with healing.

If you cannot donate, please share my story with your networks. Your voice is just as powerful as your contribution.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for listening, for caring, and for helping me hope again.

With love,

Natascha