Hello, my name is Stephen Costello.
Last October, my wife Sarah 36 went in for routine keyhole surgery to check for endometriosis. Within the first minute of the operation, her main aorta artery was severed in half. She suffered catastrophic consequences — massive blood loss, cardiac arrest, and hours of life-saving surgery.
Sarah needed 15 units of blood and was cut open from her chest to her stomach for an emergency bypass. She was placed on full life support and transferred to ICU, where doctors told me the next 12–24 hours were critical. By some miracle, she survived.
But survival came with lifelong complications. Sarah now lives with a synthetic aortic bypass, nerve damage in her leg and foot, weakness in her left hand, PTSD, and breathing issues from her time on life support. She faces the terrifying risk that her bypass could fail, which could cost her her leg — or worse.
Since then, Sarah has been in constant pain. She struggles to walk due to poor blood supply to her left leg. She suffers nerve entrapments in her elbows and now requires surgery. She has ongoing breathing problems, trauma, and exhaustion.
Why We Need Help
We are parents to two daughters (8 and 14), and this has shaken our whole family.
We’ve had to seek care privately in the UK to get timely answers and treatment.”
This means massive costs for:
• Scans (CT angiogram, MRI, nerve conduction studies)
• Private specialist consultations
• Surgeries for nerve damage
• Therapy for PTSD and mental health
• Travel back and forth between Ireland and the UK
We’ve already taken on debt and fallen behind on bills. We cannot do this alone anymore.
How You Can Help
We are raising €20,000 to cover Sarah’s urgent medical costs, travel, and therapy. Every single donation — no matter the size — makes a real difference.
If you can’t donate, please consider sharing our story so it can reach someone who might be able to help.
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Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, and your prayers for Sarah and our family.
With gratitude,
Stephen