Hi there!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my page, I really appreciate it.

My name is Grace, and I am an aspiring ballerina.

Ever since I took my first ballet class at 3 years old, I have dreamt of becoming a professional ballerina. From being in awe at watching the older girls at my studio rehearse, to working my way through my studies to take on principal roles in my school's productions, I proudly then taught younger dancers in my spare time, knowing they looked at me the way I once did at the older girls.

Having been fortunate enough to have been offered places at some of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world, in September 2022 I moved to London, England to study at London Studio Centre, where I am now in my second year.

Although still only in training, so far I have had the opportunity to embrace a number of professional opportunities, including being a featured dancer in a music video, dance on a television drama and tour England with a youth dance company. More than this, I know that dance is what I was born to do, it's my reason for being and truly what makes me, me.

However, I have since been met with a bleak reality that my dance journey could come to an abrupt early end: I suffer acute pain cause by a severe bunion in my right foot, which has worsened such to the extent that it hurts to walk, and is impossible to dance with.

Within the past 6 months, I’ve been to 2 different doctors in California that told me to avoid surgery if I still want to have a ballet career. They helped me find temporary fixes to ease the pain but nothing that could help me long term. One doctor told me that most dancers retire after getting bunion surgery and that I am too young to be looking at surgery for my foot.

After hearing this devastating news, I was determined to get a third opinion. I recently met with the orthopedic surgeon for the Royal Ballet (Dr. Lloyd Williams) in London. He believes that a specific, pioneering type of surgery which aims to be less invasive than previous versions, will allow me to continue to follow my dream. He said he felt confident that I would be able to return to ballet with minimal loss of range of motion in my foot. Unfortunately, the surgery, as well as the appropriate specialist rehabilitative physiotherapy is very expensive, and will be impossible for me to fund independently as an international student.

I hate to ask, as I know how difficult times are at the moment, but I would be immensely grateful if you would consider offering a contribution of any size towards me receiving the career saving surgery I require.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story.

Grace x