Ross's pectus surgery fundraiser

My son Ross is 17 and has pectus excavatum, also called funnel chest. With this condition, the cartilage attaching the ribs to the sternum overgrows and pushes his breastbone down to compress his heart, lungs, liver and stomach. He has reduced lung capacity and compromised heart function - causing fatigue, tachycardia, chest pain and several other unpleasant and life-limiting symptoms. He is now too unwell to attend college.

Pectus can be corrected by surgery - but unfortunately this is not currently funded by NHS England (even though it's available in Scotland and Wales). There is a campaign underway to secure NHS funding and implement a best practice pathway in England, which was covered recently in the Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/nhs-cost-cutting-b2277499.html

However this will come too late for Ross - he needs surgery now. He's booked in as a private patient at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough on 27th April. He's under Joel Dunning, one of the country's top cardiothoracic surgeons specialising in chest wall surgery. Mr Dunning will perform the Nuss procedure, in which a metal bar is inserted underneath the sternum to push it into the correct position. The operation will cost us around £9000, so we have decided to ask for donations via this means. Please help if you can.