Vital medical funds for former elite gymnast, Ellie Marinova

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We are a group of gym mums, fundraising for Ellie Marinova, a 20 year old former elite gymnast.

Ellie is very sick and is in need of vital medical care, which has not been provided by the NHS, for a debilitating condition that currently leaves her with minimal quality of life.

Abusive coaching practices triggered an eating disorder and complex trauma, now manifesting in gastroenterological issues. After an 18 month battle to have her symptoms taken seriously, Ellie has now provisionally been diagnosed with a severe form of gastroparesis.

Although only 20, Ellie has already spent more than 4 years as an inpatient in a number of different hospital settings. Gastroparesis leaves her with persistent vomiting, debilitating pain, sleep disturbances and impaired kidney function. In order to maintain her body weight, she had been tube fed for a number of months and now has an IV. Her medical management within the NHS has not helped to resolve her condition.

Following an initial consultation with Gastroenterological specialist Professor Bu’Hussain Hayee BSc MBBS FRCP PhD AGAF FASGE, Ellie has been referred to a private hospital in London called the Functional Gut Clinic.

We are now urgently raising funds to pursue detailed investigations not currently available on the NHS. Professor Hayee has kindly proposed a number of different treatment options for Ellie but these can only be prescribed once a detailed diagnosis has been made. However, to access an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, Ellie will require in the region of £12,000.

1. £3k for tests

2. ⁠£2k for ongoing support

3. ⁠7k for a potential procedure

Ellie needs this treatment immediately. Without appropriate intervention, she will continue to suffer in a way most people could not imagine, all the while more damage is being wrought on her young body.

Our aim as gym mums, is to ensure that Ellie gets the medical care she needs to reclaim her life, so she can go on to enjoy a long and healthy future, free from her current medical trauma and the shadows of the cruelty she experienced in her former life as a gymnast.

We appreciate any donation you can afford and would be immensely grateful if you could share this fundraiser far and wide to help us reach our targets. Any additional funds raised will go towards supporting other gymnasts affected by emotional, physical and sexual abuse in gymnastics.

Thank you in advance for your empathy and generosity.

Alice, Jessica, Jannet and Heidi.