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My name is Victoria. I’m 29, and for the past seven years I’ve been living with severe fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and scoliosis. Over time, these conditions have taken away my independence, my mobility, and my ability to work. I’ve tried everything available to me in Australia and New Zealand: specialists, medications, physiotherapy, pain clinics, alternative therapies, and 2 to 3 appointments a week for years.
I’m on the disability pension but I’ve been denied NDIS (Australia’s long term disability support service) because fibromyalgia isn’t actually covered as a main condition. In order to get it, I would have to spend $1-2k in to get my Autism and ADHD diagnosed. Which is impossible to afford on the disability pension. I spend $1400 of my $2600 disability pension each month on medications alone, and the rest disappears into appointments and basic survival. There is nothing left to save. Both my parents have gone into debt trying to support my medical needs. So my family and I have done literally everything we can think of or find to try help my recovery.
But despite all of that, my pain only increased each month. It has become so debilitating that I can no longer work, or go out to restaurants, or even catch public transport. Most days are spent at home trying to manage pain and stay distracted from how limited my life has become. Even walking 15 metres to the bathroom can feel like a marathon. I can’t use a kettle. I can’t put on my own shoes. I can’t sit in the sun without burning pain and nausea.
My anxiety has increased exponentially and I’m constantly in fear of negative reactions to my needs or pain. Since my two car accidents that caused concussions, the idea of getting in the car makes me anxious.
Once I’m in a car my pain spikes and my body switches to high alert, jumpy and watching out for any possible hazards. My whole body tenses and I get burning sensations through most of my body from it. I have no social life because social interactions can be so overloading and cause an increase in my pain. My world has become very small and it saddens me. I miss living my life.
But I know there are treatments that can help. They just aren’t accessible or affordable here. Most of the treatments here are hundreds of dollars per session per treatment which I’ve never been able to even consider. But after years of searching, I finally found something that gives me real hope.
WHY BDMS WELLNESS CLINIC IS MY BEST CHANCE
BDMS Wellness Clinic in Bangkok is the only place in the world where I can stay on site and receive coordinated, daily, multidisciplinary treatment without needing to travel between appointments. For someone with my mobility limits, this isn’t a luxury. It’s the only way I can safely access care. The clinic is directly linked to the Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort, so I can walk (or be assisted) from my room straight to treatment without taxis, heat exposure, or long distances. All of these currently trigger severe pain flares. This setup is uniquely suited for people with complex, disabling conditions like mine.
THE TREATMENTS MOST LIKELY TO HELP ME
BDMS offers a wide range of therapies, but these are the ones that directly target fibromyalgia, scoliosis, chronic pain, and nervous system dysfunction.
These are the treatments that could genuinely change my daily functioning:
MEDICAL TREATMENTS
- Medical consultations and ongoing monitoring. Regular reviews with doctors who specialise in pain, fatigue, and complex chronic conditions.
- Medication review and optimisation. A full assessment of my current medications to reduce side effects and improve effectiveness.
- Botox for chronic migraine and muscle tension. Used medically to reduce migraine frequency and muscle‑driven pain.
- Trigger point injections. Helps release deep muscle knots and reduce widespread pain.
- IV nutrient therapy. Supports energy, reduces inflammation, and helps stabilise the nervous system.
- Lab testing and diagnostics. Comprehensive testing to identify inflammation, deficiencies, and metabolic issues that worsen fibromyalgia.
- Imaging if required. On‑site access to scans if my scoliosis or pain patterns need further investigation.
REHABILITATION AND THERAPEUTIC TREATMENTS
- Daily physiotherapy and movement therapy. Gentle, targeted sessions designed for chronic pain, mobility loss, and nervous system sensitivity.
- DAVID Spine system for scoliosis and chronic back pain. A specialised medical device that strengthens deep spinal muscles safely and gradually.
- Hydrotherapy and warm water movement. Allows me to move without triggering pain spikes, using buoyancy and warmth to reduce muscle guarding.
- Acupuncture. Helps reduce muscle tension, nerve sensitivity, and pain flares, and is widely used for fibromyalgia.
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Increases oxygen delivery to tissues, reduces inflammation, and may improve pain, cognition, and energy.
- Red light therapy. Supports cellular repair, reduces inflammation, and can help with muscle pain and fatigue.
NERVOUS SYSTEM AND PAIN REGULATION
- Nervous system regulation therapies. Fibromyalgia is a disorder of an over‑sensitised nervous system. These therapies help calm and retrain the stress response.
- Sleep and fatigue treatment. Structured programs to help reset the body’s ability to rest, recover, and stabilise energy.
- Pain relief modalities. Heat, cold, ultrasound, soft tissue work, and other non invasive treatments that reduce muscle pain and inflammation.
NUTRITION AND SUPPORT
Nutrition and digestive support. Digestive issues often worsen fibromyalgia symptoms. BDMS provides assessments and personalised plans to reduce inflammation and stabilise energy.
All of these treatments are available without leaving the property, which is essential for someone with my mobility limits.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR ME
Success isn’t a miracle cure. It’s something much more human: regaining the basic abilities that chronic pain has taken from me. But the level of recovery depends on how long I’m able to stay at BDMS. Fibromyalgia responds best to consistent, daily treatment, and the nervous system needs time to stabilise.
4 WEEKS - FOUNDATIONAL RESET
A strong reset. I would see meaningful improvement:
- reduced pain flares
- improved sleep
- calmer nervous system
- easier movement
- the first signs of mobility returning
6 TO 8 WEEKS - FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY
- This is where the biggest changes happen for severe cases: walking becomes easier
- executive function improves
- daily tasks become possible again
- pain becomes more predictable
- my body begins to tolerate more movement
10 TO 12 WEEKS - LONG TERM STABILITY
- This is where improvements become consistent and long term:pain levels drop into a manageable range
- flares become shorter and less intense
- independence increases
- improvements stabilise and become my new baseline
This is the range where many people say, “I feel like myself again.”
Even 4 weeks would be life changing for me. If this fundraiser grows, every additional dollar will go toward extending my stay to 6, 8, 10, or ideally 12 weeks.
COST BREAKDOWN
The minimum amount I need to begin treatment is the cost of a 4 week stay. This is the shortest program that still offers meaningful improvement, and it is the amount I have set as my initial fundraising goal.
4 WEEK COST
- 4 week medical program: $6,500
- Accommodation: $1,800
- Flights: $1,200
- Insurance: $350
- Mobility support: $150
- Meals and essentials: $600
- Emergency buffer: $400
- Total: approximately $11,000 to $12,000
IDEAL GOAL
Because my condition has become so acute (my doctors have said the most extreme they’ve treated, such fun), a longer stay gives me the best chance at stable, long term recovery. The ideal goal is a 12 week program, which costs around $25,000 in total. The 4 week goal gets me started. Anything raised beyond that will go directly toward extending my stay to 6, 8, 10, or ideally 12 weeks, which is where the most consistent and lasting improvements happen for severe cases.
12 WEEK COST (IDEAL PROGRAM)
12 week medical program: $19,500
Accommodation: $5,400
Meals and essentials: $1,800
Flights: $1,200
Insurance: $350
Mobility support: $150
Botox and additional medical treatments: $1,500 to $2,000
Emergency buffer: $600
Total: approximately $25,000 to $27,000
This estimate includes a full daily treatment schedule and allows for higher cost medical procedures such as Botox for chronic migraine and muscle tension. But again, I will be so eternally grateful for any length stay and every contribution helps!
WHY I’M ASKING FOR HELP
My symptoms have worsened to the point where my doctors are concerned about the impact on my mental health, and consequences which could permanently affect me. I’ve reached the end of what’s available to me in New Zealand and Australia. I’ve tried everything I can access, every specialist and therapy I could afford. I’ve pushed my body through years of appointments, medical tests, and medications. My family and I have done everything within our power. But my pain is still worsening, and I’m desperate to recover. I’m also desperate to relieve my family to my emotional and financial stress. This treatment won’t cure me, but it can give me back the ability to function, to move, to think, and to participate in my own life. I wouldn’t need 24/7 care, I’d be able to get dressed myself, be able to socialise with friends, maybe even be able to go to restaurant! That would be amazing haha, I miss nice food. So to me, regaining all those everyday freedoms is everything. And after 7 years of fighting for my health and my life, the BMDS clinic is the first glimmer of hope.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you’re able to donate, even a small amount, it would mean the world to me. If you can’t donate, sharing this campaign is just as powerful. Every bit of support brings me closer to a life where pain doesn’t control everything.
THANK YOU
Thank you for reading my story, for caring, and for giving me a chance at something I haven’t felt in a long time: hope. Your kindness genuinely means more than I can express.
Organizer
