Hi, my name is Georgia MacGuire. I am an Aboriginal woman, artist, and wildlife rescuer with a deep connection to Country and the animals I care for. I am Audhd and live with chronic pain.

For most of my life, I’ve managed to stay active despite battling chronic pain caused by Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and degenerative disc disease. These conditions mean my joints are unstable, I injure easily, and the discs and facet joints in my spine constantly press on my nerves, causing unbearable pain.

In 2023, I had a bad fall while roller skating, and I haven’t been able to bounce back. By 2024, my pain had reached a point where I could barely get out of bed, let alone create art or care for wildlife. I became severely depressed and even suicidal, feeling like I had lost everything that gave my life meaning.

A friend suggested I see a pain specialist in Melbourne, and for the first time in a long time, I have hope. She has recommended radiofrequency nerve ablation—a treatment that could significantly reduce my pain—and intensive physical rehabilitation to help me regain strength and mobility.

I have been holding off on having the treatment, trying to get the funds together myself but not being able to work has made it impossible. In the meantime my condition continues to deteriorate. I have cried every day of 2025 because of intense and persistent pain. I cannot continue to live like this.

This is where I need your help.

The cost of these treatments is beyond what I can afford, but they could be life-changing. With your support, I can get out of this cycle of pain and return to doing what I love: making art, being active in my community, and most importantly, rescuing and caring for wildlife.

I don’t like asking for help, I'm embarrassed to be asking, but right now, I have no other option. My pain is taking away my life, and I need support to get it back.

Any contribution, no matter how small, will bring me one step closer to healing.

Thank you for reading and for any help you can give.