Please help Archie to have surgery

Mark McDowell is organizing this fundraiser.

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Hi everyone, my name is Archie and I am around 4 months old.

I was born with radial hypoplasia.

Some nice people found me abandoned outside a Vets in Dubai when I was just a tiny baby. They looked after me until I was old enough to go to an adoption agency and to a lovely foster lady who found me my forever home here in the UK with my new Momma and Daddy.

Although I am a healthy boy and I enjoy everything that a normal kitten does, I can't use my front limbs so I walk and hop like a kangaroo. This doesn't normally bother me as I have always been this way however, on the 25th October my left arm stump ruptured unexpectedly .

It turns out that I have had a cyst there for a very long time, probably since I was born due to my condition. This has got bigger over time as I've got bigger and become more mobile.

Momma and Daddy took me to our normal Vets who referred me straight away to a lovely chap called Diogo at Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists in Ringwood . I had a little operation to clean out my stump and a CT scan to assess my skeleton.

My CT scan showed that I have no radius bones at all, but I do have an ulna in each arm. I also only have two toes on each front paw instead of four. My humerus bones have formed at the top (my stumps) next to my shoulder blades, and at the bottom by my elbows, but are in fact missing the middle parts. This is why my actual arms are not attached to the rest of my skeleton. It also means that my stumps are spiky and constantly pressing into the surrounding tissues causing trauma, especially when I land on them .

This will only get worse as I grow and I will be at risk of sepsis when they protrude through the skin. As a result, the plan is to have both my stumps (tops of the humerus bones) removed. This will reduce the chances of further trauma as I grow and I will also be able to keep my arms .

Unfortunately, Momma and Daddy can't get insurance. This is because a lot of companies won't accept me because of my radial hypoplasia. One company will, but I have to be 12 months free of symptoms so they can't take me on yet because I am currently already under a specialist .

Momma and Daddy have been quoted around £3,500 for my operation. They said that I am loved and I'm their little man so not to worry . They said I deserve to have a happy life so they will find a way to manage. Momma and Daddy have already paid for my recent treatment and have put about £1,000 on my account at the specialist ready for my operation.

Momma and Daddy would not normally ask for help but unfortunately, it has not been a good year as Daddy lost his Mum suddenly a few months ago and had to pay towards her funeral and cremation costs, and Momma had to have her elderly fur baby Ralph put to sleep not long after.

We know that everyone is struggling at present due to the economic situation and also with Christmas looming, but any help no matter how small will be gratefully appreciated and received with love. Even just sharing my story would be amazing.

Momma and Daddy will keep you all informed of when I will have my operation and my progress afterwards.

Thank you in advance and sending you all lots of love and hugs,

Archie XxX