Kirsty Needs A Cystectomy NOW

This fundraiser is for a cystectomy and ileal conduit (which would mean removal of the bladder and re-diversion of it through the bowel and connecting the kidneys creating a stoma ) through private health care in the UK.

I am raising money in order for my ‘little cousin’ to receive this essential life-changing treatment which would allow her to gain back her quality of life.

Kirsty currently has a suprapubic catheter (a tube that is placed in the bladder through the abdominal wall below the pubic bone (previous surgery) this then connects to a bag which fills with urine and needs emptying every few hours.

Her catheter currently needs changing every 48 hours. This means that specialist nurses have to come to the house to perform a procedure which means they have to take it out of her bladder and replace it with a new one. This an extremely invasive, traumatic and painful treatment. She also suffers from severe intersistinal cystitis (inflammation and damage to the bladder lining, which means urine can irritate the bladder and surrounding muscles and nerves. Bladder lining is also attacking itself, alongside neurogenic bladder (problem in which a person lacks bladder control due to a brain, spinal cord, or nerve condition) and recurrent kidney infections.

Despite a number of treatments, there has been no improvement in the condition of Kirsty’s bladder. NHS waiting lists are as long as a year which is why we want to do all we can to raise the money for her to regain her quality of life which has been cruelly taken away at the young age of 24. Kirsty is unable to venture too far from home and is unable to work her dream job as a teacher which makes the situation more and more debilitating day by day.

Being so young and in this situation has had a detrimental effect on access to treatment and the way Kirsty is treated by others. She is forever being told that she is young so should be able to cope with the excruciating pain. Constant amounts of medication and strong painkillers are required every day and are unfortunately now beginning to lose their effect.

It is breaking our hearts to see our beautiful, kind and thoughtful cousin having to suffer so much pain, discomfort and suffering, so I am hoping to raise as much as possible in order to be able to help her to receive the correct treatment as quickly as possible so that she can start to live like a 25 year old should, build a new life, plan for a family, no longer need the 22+ tablets a day along with liquid medication and return to work to live out her dream career and teach again full time.

Disclaimer: If the target is not reached, all money will be refunded or donated to charity.

Thank you for taking the time to read. If you are unable to donate, please share this appeal.