Help Matilda become pain free!

My daughter Matilda is in daily excruciating pain. She has Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) which is described as the most painful of all human conditions, ranking the highest on the pain scale! (CRPS is considered more painful than unassisted childbirth, amputated digits etc).

Matilda has CRPS mainly in her left foot and leg, but it often spreads to her right foot and arms and even her face. Worryingly CRPS can even spread to internal organs. She suffers daily pain flairs that sometimes cause her to pass out the pain is so bad. Often she can not walk.

Matilda has suffered a lifetime of significant health complications. She was born with a rare blood disorder (Hereditary Spherocytosis). After numerous blood transfusions throughout her primary school years, we made the decision to have her spleen removed (which was killing her red blood cells). During a routine keyhole splenectomy which should have been a very simple procedure, Matilda suffered an internal bleed and a cardiac arrest. She needed life saving open surgery at this point and CPR. Although she initially recovered well from this horrific trauma, within weeks it was clear something else was seriously wrong. Matilda started to experience significant pain in her feet. For months we begged for help not knowing why she was screaming in pain and her feet were turning blue. They were ice cold to touch but Matilda felt like she was being burnt and stabbed with glass. A few months later, Matilda went back into hospital paralysed down one side of her body in overwhelming pain. She was diagnosed with CRPS and spent four months in rehabilitation learning to walk again.

Despite her incredible resilience Matilda still suffers with CRPS. Every single day she is in considerable pain. She uses a wide range of pain medications but still her whole body is tired and sore. Some days she needs to use her crutches and some days she needs a wheelchair. She has been found unconscious in school only recently because she experienced a pain attack that was so severe it caused her to pass out. In the UK they say there is no cure; just pain management!

However, we have found an incredible doctor in Germany who is willing to try and help her. We are raising money to go and see him for a 2 week treatment programme this August. He has an 80% success rate with his work so we are extremely hopeful that this could be life-changing for Matilda. Absolutely any dontatio, however small, would mean the world to us both.

Matilda and her mum, Lorna.