Hi, my name is Kayleigh, and I’m sharing something I’ve carried with me my entire life.

When I was just 2 years old, I suffered a life-changing accident while in the care of my biological mother. Due to neglect, I climbed onto a kitchen counter using a plastic chair that collapsed beneath me. In panic, I grabbed onto the cord of a freshly boiled kettle. Boiling water poured over me.

Instead of immediate proper care, a dry towel was placed over my burns, causing even more damage.

I was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with full-thickness third-degree burns. I underwent skin grafts and spent my early years recovering from something no child should have to endure. I was eventually removed from that environment, but the physical and emotional scars have stayed with me ever since.

As I grew older, the impact of those burns became more severe.

At 12, I began to lose movement in my right arm due to the tightness of the scar tissue. Around the same time, puberty made it clear that the scarring was also affecting my chest pulling and restricting the development of my right breast. I was told that further help would only be considered once I had fully developed.

Years later, after becoming a mum at 18, I began seeking help again, only to be turned away. I was told I couldn’t be considered because I was a single mother. Later, I was told it was because of my weight. I worked hard, lost the weight, and went back, determined not to give up.

After fighting through two NHS funding appeals, I was finally approved for revision surgery. My main concerns were always my chest and the impact it has had on my body and confidence. However, the first surgery focused on my elbow, correcting the tightness there (which I am grateful for).

After further delays, grief, and internal battles, I went ahead with another surgery to release the tightness pulling my chest. While this helped my breast sit more naturally, it unfortunately made the size difference significantly worse.

I am now left with a three cup size difference between my breasts.

Everyday things most women take for granted, like buying a bra, are still a struggle for me. I can only comfortably wear sports bras. If I try to wear a normal bra, I have to size down on one side and use padding on the other, and even then it doesn’t look or feel right.

At my 4-month post-op appointment, I truly believed I would finally be placed on the waiting list for corrective breast surgery.

Instead, I was told the funding I had fought so hard for does not cover breast surgery at all.

After a lifetime of surgeries, setbacks, and being told “not yet” or “not eligible,” I was told that if I want this fixed, I have to pay for it myself.

I have since had consultations, and due to the complexity of my case, I’ve been quoted between £10,000 and £15,000.

This isn’t about vanity.

This is about finally feeling comfortable in my own body.

This is about healing something that started when I was just a toddler.

This is about being able to live without constant physical and emotional reminders of trauma.

I have spent my whole adult life being given milestones to hit, only for the goalposts to move every time.

I’m exhausted. But I’m not giving up.

If you’re able to donate, share, or even just read my story, it truly means the world to me.

Thank you for helping me take this final step toward healing.