29 Nov 2025

It’s been some time since the last update on Carmen’s health. Thank you so much everyone for supporting her this far and your contribution has made a real difference. You have enabled Carmen to seek Private neurosurgical review when needed to help unravel her condition as it is very rare and complex. Purchasing essential needs for recovery and especially as Carmen’s income has dropped as well.

Carmen’s tethered cord with split cord malformation is a rare and complex spinal condition. After extensive investigation The Royal Melbourne Hospital has been identified as the leading centre with all the top resources to handle such rare cases. Carmen has reached out to the relevant neurosurgical teams within the hospital and needs to travel to Melbourne asap to start moving towards surgery.

I’m reaching out again to help Carmen with this leg of her journey as the logistics of travelling to Melbourne is going to come with a further financial cost. The financial toll of this has been and continues to be a great hurdle for Carmen and our support is the reason she has come this far with a clearer understanding of her complex condition.

Thank you everybody and together we have been making this Journey so much easier for Carmen. Thanks so much and Please, don’t forget to share this. ❤️

Hi Everyone,

My name is Cher Townend and today I’m reaching out on behalf of my dear friend Carmen, who needs our support. Carmen was born with a mild form of Spina Bifida, a condition that affects about 1 in 1,500 people worldwide. For most of her life, Carmen managed to live with few complications, but ten years ago, her health began to decline unexpectedly.

The hidden effects of Spina Bifida can sometimes appear later in life, and for Carmen, this has meant four major surgeries over the past ten years. Recently, she’s been hit with another major setback. An MRI has revealed that her spine has become tethered, a condition that can lead to permanent nerve damage if untreated. Surgery may not be an option due to the risks, but an intense course of physical therapy and critical scans are needed to determine the best way forward.

Carmen has had to give up her passion as a dog groomer because of her health. Though she’s found less demanding work, her medical costs have become overwhelming, leaving her in significant debt and unsure how she can afford the vital treatments ahead.

Living with Spina Bifida means ongoing, costly care, and right now, her life is in limbo. While Carmen has faced every challenge with courage and dignity, she has reached the end of the line and desperately needs our help.

How You Can Help: Your support can make a real difference, whether it’s a donation or simply sharing her story. All contributions will go directly toward the costs of the medical treatments and intense therapies that Carmen desperately needs right now.

Thank you for reading her story. Any help, big or small, would mean the world to her.