Help fund Liahona's life saving surgery!

My name is Krystal, and I am raising funds for my sister, Liahona.

My sister has battled illness for almost 25 years. Her immune system kicked into action and attacked her bowels (and she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease). Then rheumatoid arthritis, gynaecological problems, and even her bladder. She has received monthly treatment for years at the Cancer and prostate centre in North Melbourne. You name it and she’s been in the emergency room with it. She’s had too many drugs to list, too many hospital stays and an abdomen that’s been cut into more times than she can count. Each time a new challenge is thrown her way she deals with it and doesn’t ask anyone for help. But now with a new diagnosis, she needs it.

What my sister thought was just migraines and a weak arm last year progressed into severe pain and the inability to use her right arm. She persisted with doctors and they were shocked to find that in both arms (bilateral) she has Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. It usually affects just nerves, but her main arteries in both arms are being crushed. Turns out that’s rare. Her right arm has a slight pulse in the wrist, and her hand and arm have significant muscle wastage. She needs surgery to be able to get her arm fully functioning with intense rehab, but because it is putting pressure on the carotid artery she is now at risk of a clot, brain aneurism or stroke. She sleeps with her arms strapped at her side so she doesn’t roll on them, which would stop blood supply and cause a blood clot. Her brain will need to learn how to adjust after they remove 2 ribs, neck muscle, fix the arteries and nerves. It’s a very involved, rare and risky surgery.

She was waiting in the public system and has only managed to get an appointment in 3 months time! The waiting list in Victoria for “urgent” Category 1 operations (which she is) has now blown out to nearly 4 months. She’s not even on the public list yet! Add in the coronavirus surgery ban and she now has to wait until she’s an emergency to be operated on! However they’ve told her there are only 3 private surgeons that would be recommended for such a complicated surgery.

Her team of specialists have told her she will lose her arm if she waits. It’s already cold and blue. Her left arm is ok as long as she doesn’t raise it. It’s affected her neck, hearing and also her jaw. (which needs a disc replacement too).

What’s worse is her private health insurer has denied the surgery, saying they dropped it from her cover 2 years ago. She got a private quote that is over $16,000 and warned it may be up to $20,000 (per arm). After her more serious arm is done and heals she’ll then need the SECOND surgery.

She was forced to quit the job that she loved. She’s navigates neurologists, rheumatologists, urologists, vascular and orthopaedic surgeons, gastroenterologists, an ENT, and a pain specialist at Monash. All the tests, scans and treatments have already cost thousands. She travels to the city for physio and will be expected to see an expert in Thoracic Outlet Syndrome for 5-6 months of physio, after 6 weeks of recovery.

So, I’m asking for help from you.... my friends, friends of friends and community to help me raise much needed funds for Liahona’s surgery. Anyone that knows her knows she’s always helping everyone else, now I want to give her (and her family) some help and hope.

All money raised will be put towards surgery and rehab.