My name is kristin coggeshall and I’ve started this go fund me page to begin raising money for my younger sister.  My sister Katie was born with a teathered spinal cord in which they did surgery at 3 months old. Fast forward to my sister now being 20 years old she has been diagnosed with Lipomyelomeningocele. This is basically a fatty tumor that has grown into the spinal cord. Her nerves have also grown through this fatty tumor causing damage to her nerves, such as she has completely lost feeling in her left foot and partially the side of her leg. She has pain shooting down her legs every single day of her life, which for someone who is only 20 years old should not be an issue. Due to the severity of my sisters condition the doctors in Des Moines will not be able to help her and have sent her to Iowa city at the children’s hospital. My sister has completed a few mri’s and ultrasounds in which they came to the conclusion that surgery could have severe outcomes due to the way it has grown and spread her spinal cord. This surgery has a 1 in 3 chance that in the end she could lose control over her bowel and bladder and she still may never regain the feeling that she has already lost. At this point Iowa city is asking my sister come back for several more tests such as a urology test, another MRI, and a dynamic test. She will also have to see two more doctors while there, the urology doctor and the neurology surgeon.  The next trip to Iowa city there will be 5 doctors appointments in one day. Many people know my sister has danced her entire life and at her last visit to Iowa city was told she can no longer dance or do anything that will be over extending her back, which can include things my sister does every day.


These appointments have already made an impact on my sister financially, emotionally, and physically and I would like to do whatever I can to try and help her. She will likely have several more visits to Iowa city, several doctors bills to pay, hotel rooms, gas, food, and in the end possibly have a very extensive and expensive surgery to pay for in which she will have to spend some time in Iowa city at the children’s hospital recovering. After surgery my sister won’t be able to work as she works on her feet everyday, so she will also face the battle of paying her rent, car, car insurance, and groceries on top of everything.  Every little thing will help and I want to thank anyone in advance that donates to her cause. I will be withdrawing and giving the money to her on everyone’s behalf Around the beginning of the year as her next visit is January 8th 2020!