ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm Trea Ivory and I'm fundraising because on the 2nd of April of this year, I am travelling abroad for expert excision surgery in Greece with Dr. Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos (Internationally renowned consultant gynaecologist and endometriosis specialist FACOG, EFOG-EBCOG, MIGS, PhD, MsC). My consultant and team here in Ireland have agreed with the referral also.

LINK: Details about Dr Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos

I'm an artist and have made an endometriosis design to send to anyone who donates as a way of saying thank you. Shortly after you donate you will receive a thank you note with my email and you can send on your details there to receive the digital file to print at home or send to a printing service. I make art about endometriosis and other things if you want to take a look over at treadoodles on Instagram . **I will share photos of the artwork on this page tomorrow**

Here's a little bit about why I feel I have no other choice than to travel for endometriosis surgery:

I'm from Ireland and was diagnosed with endometriosis via laparoscopic surgery in 2013 at the age of 22. Now, 13 years later, I've since had 2 additional laparoscopic surgeries with minimal improvement. I have tried so many ways to control the pain which kept returning including: hysteroscopy and D&C, two separate failed attempts at the Mirena Coil, various painkiller combinations, combined pills, progesterone-only pills, Decapeptyl injections (chemical menopause), dienogest, anti-inflammatory diets, tens machines, hot water bottles so hot my stomach has erythema ab igne , movement/physio and the list goes on.

I feel like I have hit a wall since the end of 2024 and pain has been the worst it has ever been since my intial diagnosis. I've gone from having breaks in between flares to having almost constant pain every day, with the worst days leaving me stuck in bed unable to do the basics. I'm both physically and mentally exhausted. I am self-employed right now and this has dramatically affected my ability to work, function, socialise and I cannot lose another year watching my life go by.

My main symptoms include:

- Pelvic, hip, leg, abdominal and lower back pain (sharp, dull, pulling, stabbing, twisting, electric, cramping etc)

- Pain with movement, sitting certain ways, daring to try have fun, exercise etc etc.

- Full bladder feeling and pulling feeling even when I have just gone to the bathroom. Pain is worse when bladder is full also. Find it hard to get comfortable at night when I have this symptom.

- My period has been almost constant on and off with barely any breaks both when I had the mirena coil and when I had it taken out in January.

- Upset stomach in every way, both in relation to my period and also due to the use of painkillers.

- Constant fatigue like a weight is pulling my whole body down. The brain fog is incredibly frustrating.

In Ireland, there are no true experts/specialists/multidisciplinary teams in Endometriosis who specialise in excision surgery and I am concerned that things have been missed in previous surgeries. My last 2 transvaginal ultrasounds in 2024 and 2025 have a number of findings that align with my symptoms even though it is common for nothing to show on ultrasound for patients when endometriosis is found later in surgery.

COSTS

The base quote for my surgery in Greece is €7500 but the final costs are unknown depending on the extent of what is found during surgery and what is decided by my surgeon on the day, so this may potentially go up.

The total costs for flights & accommodation during recovery is approx 2800.00 providing we don't have to extend our stay for additional recovery. This is not including extra costs such as food, supplies and supports for recovery/flight home.

I have pre-op consult on the 2nd of April, pre-op tests on the 3rd, surgery on the 4th and post-op in the recovery days following surgery. We plan to leave for our flight home on the 11th unless the surgery requires more recovery time than expected.

CROSS BORDER DIRECTIVE SCHEME (CBD)

I will be applying for reimbursement through the Cross Border Directive. All the information on this can be found below:

https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/cross-border-directive/

With the CBD Scheme the patient must pay upfront for surgery and then claim back reimboursement once the surgery is complete. You are not guaranteed the full cost is covered and flights, accomodation and expenses are not covered.

To do this I have had to ask for help from my lovely Mam until I am able to pay the costs back both through the CBD Scheme reimboursement which can take months and when I am able to return to work after recovery.

My plan with this fundraiser is to try to cover as much as I can beforehand so we are not out of pocket until this can happen.

REIMBOURSED COSTS AND PAY-IT-FORWARD

**Any additional funds raised that are returned by the Cross Border Directive in the months following surgery or funds that exceed what is used for the cost of travel will be donated to another fundraiser for an endometriosis patient from Ireland travelling abroad for surgery. All details will be added here in updates for clarity**

Thank you so much for taking the time to hear my story and I will add updates as they happen! xxx