Help me raise funds for a stairlift for my daughter Aimee

Hello, my name is Sam and I am trying to raise funds for my daughter Aimee.

On the 11th July 2024 my 18 year old daughter Aimee suffered an acute medical emergency. She had been feeling a little under the weather with a cold for a few days prior to this, but woke up on that fateful morning unable to feel her legs and unable to walk.

She was rushed to Croydon hospital and placed in intensive care where numerous tests were conducted to find out what was wrong with her. She was then transferred to the neurology department at St George’s hospital and was started on a series of Plasma exchange treatments and administered steroids to try and reduce the severe inflammation that was discovered on her brain and her spine.

By this stage Aimee was generally very weak, her vision was blurry and the doctors were worried that the muscle weakness in her legs was also affecting her arms which she could barely lift.

After numerous blood tests, MRIs and lumbar punctures, Aimee was diagnosed with a very rare disorder called A.D.E.M (Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis)

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a rare inflammatory condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. It often follows on from a minor infection such as a cold, and is the result of the immune system becoming mis-programmed, and activating immune cells to attack the healthy myelin (a fatty protective coating) covering the nerves. (Source, Great Ormond Street Hospital)

Aimee responded well to treatment and to physio and occupational therapy. Her eyesight is back to normal and her arms are stronger than ever. She has regained a little feeling in her legs but not enough to walk yet. Although the Plasma exchange treatments and steroids have brought the inflammation down, there is still inflammation on the spine. We have been told that it could be months before the inflammation goes down and she can walk again but there are no guarantees. After 7 weeks in hospital, followed by 8 weeks of intense rehab therapy at the amazing London Spinal Cord Injury Centre, Aimee is finally home.

Being home though presents another set of challenges. We have had to relocate her bedroom downstairs and rearrange rooms and furniture so that she can move easily around in her wheelchair. Unfortunately we have no bathroom downstairs which makes life even more difficult for Aimee. We have been advised that if we ask the local council to install a stairlift, the wait time is approximately 9 months for private renters like us and shockingly the wait time for council property renters can be up to 3 years!

I am appealing to you for your support in raising funds so that we can purchase a stairlift (c. £4,800) that we can install so that Aimee can access the bathroom and have her bedroom upstairs again.

We would also like to purchase a standing frame (c. £600) and an active/passive cycle (c. £3,200) for her ongoing physiotherapy needs and hopefully her full recovery.

She has been through so much and just wants her independence back and to live life as normally as possible. Aimee did extremely well in her A levels and should have been taking up her place at Surrey University to study English Literature and Creative Writing. Sadly she has had to defer her entry until next year when we hope she will be ready to start her university life. As you can imagine, this has been a very difficult time for Aimee; physically, emotionally and mentally but she has shown great resilience and perseverance and we are all so proud of her. We just want to make life as easy as possible for her so that she can maintain her independence, continue with her physiotherapy at home and have some normality in her life.

My family and I would be so grateful if you could support this cause with whatever donation you are happy to make.