Hi everyone, My name is Kara, I am 24 years old, and I am a mother. I am writing this because I am ready to finally close the door on a painful past and step into the future my children and I deserve. To do that, I need to ask for a helping hand. I was in the care system, after experiencing severe childhood neglect. In just a two-year period, I was moved between ALOT of different care placements. Because of this constant instability, I was never registered with a proper dentist. The severe, hidden dental issues that started in my childhood went completely unnoticed and untreated. By the time I aged out of care and became an adult, Covid-19 hit, shutting down routine dentistry and leaving me stuck on years-long NHS waiting lists. I finally managed to secure a dentist this year, but the damage from my childhood is severe. I have already had multiple teeth extracted and replaced with partial dentures. Now, I am facing the heartbreaking reality of having more teeth pulled—including my front teeth in the next few weeks. The hardest part about this is that I have not had a single new cavity in my entire adulthood. I take meticulous care of myself now, and I’m sure if any of my old carers come to see or read this they will remember when I got my first toiletries allowance and how much toothpaste and dental stuff I bought with that. When I was first able to buy toothpaste and a good toothbrush. My teeth are a physical trap. They are the very last piece of proof of the neglect I suffered as a child. I have built my life up from absolutely nothing. I am a woman, a mother, and a survivor, but right now, my teeth are holding me back. I feel deeply depressed and embarrassed. I want to smile freely at my children and their friends and teachers without worrying about what people are thinking, or making assumptions of lifestyle choices. I want to finally wash away the labels of being a "neglected kid" or a "care kid." I have looked into travelling abroad for cheaper care, but the upfront cost is still far out of my reach as a young mum. My goal is to raise funds to safely restore my smile through proper restorative dental treatments (like secure bridges or implants) so I can finally have a stable, healthy mouth. I have spent my whole life fighting through enough hardship. I believe it is my turn now to heal completely and start fresh. Any donation, no matter how small, will directly fund the dental surgery and restorations I need to reclaim my confidence and my life. If you cannot donate, sharing my story would mean the world to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me be free of such a terrible past.

Id rather embarrass myself asking for help for the first time in my life than embarrass myself and my children every time I smile or open my mouth.