Help Me Heal After an Acid Attack Tattoo & Hair Restoration

Hi, my name is Joanna , and I’m reaching out to ask for your support as I continue my journey of healing after surviving a devastating unprovoked acid attack on the 13 December 2020, only being 20 years old that changed my life forever.

My Story

While working — just doing my job — I was violently attacked with acid by a woman in my workplace. There was no reason for it. She was later diagnosed with schizophrenia and is currently in a psychiatric hospital. What happened was unprovoked, and it left me traumatised and scarred in ways I never imagined possible.

The acid covered 25% of my body. I was hospitalised for over a month in the burns unit and required skin grafts. Since then, I’ve been under the care of several hospitals as an outpatient. I am still receiving:

* Laser scar therapy at St. James’s Hospital for facial injuries

* Ongoing care at the Eye & Ear Hospital, as the acid also damaged my left eye, leaving a scar on my cornea that affects my vision

* Two years of therapy for PTSD anxiety and horrific dreams , which I continue to manage daily

This attack changed the way I see myself and the world. The physical and emotional trauma is something I carry every day, and though healing takes time, I’m doing everything I can to move forward.

Why I’m Asking for Help

I’m trying to raise funds to help me take back control over how I look — and, more importantly, how I feel about myself. I’m working toward two major goals:

1. Tattoos to Cover My Scars

These tattoos are not cosmetic — they are therapeutic. Each session transforms painful reminders into symbols of strength and healing. I’ve had one session already, and it brought back a piece of me I thought I’d lost. I need at least three more sessions at €900 each.

2. A Hair Transplant for My Scalp

The acid caused permanent hair loss on the left side of my scalp, where I had to receive a skin graft. No hair has grown back there, and the scar is highly visible. It’s something I’ve cried over so many times. St. James’s can’t offer a transplant, and the procedure I need is complex — surgeons must take healthy hair from the other side of my head to try to cover the grafted area.

The estimated cost is between €2,400 and €10,000, depending on how much needs to be done. This is not about vanity — it’s about giving me the confidence to look in the mirror and not be reminded of my trauma every day.

Your Help Can Change My Life

* Tattoo sessions: €900 × 3 = €2,700

* Hair transplant: €2,400–€10,000

A Little About Me

Before this happened, I was studying social care. I was someone who cared deeply for others, always ready to offer a helping hand. I never thought I’d be the one needing help like this — but here I am, humbly asking for your support.

This attack didn’t just scar my body — it stole time, confidence, and peace from me. But I’m still here, and I’m still fighting. I want to feel like myself again. I want to go outside without feeling ashamed or broken.

Your kindness, your donation, or even just sharing this campaign can help me take one more step toward healing — physically and emotionally.

Thank you for reading my story. Thank you for caring.


With all my heart,

Joanna