Keep Kate Walking

 My name is Kate O'Sullivan, I'm a 24 year old woman battling Cerebral Palsy. I was born 3 and 1/2 months premature by emergency C-section in 1994. I spent the first 5 months of my life in the NICU in the maternity hospital Limerick. I suffered a lack of oxygen at birth and I was later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at the age of 2 as a result of this. I can walk independently... for now. However, my walk is deteorating because of the spasticity associated with my Cerebral Palsy. I'm suffering from muscle spasms now more than ever and as a result the muscles in my legs are getting tighter and tighter and I can't stop it without surgical intervention that is not available in Ireland. I can't accept this without fighting so my family and I are fundraising for a surgery in the US called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) to permanently reduce the spasticity which will allow the muscles in my legs to relax and function correctly for the first time ever. My parents were told I'd never walk and I'd spend my life in a wheelchair. However, my incredible mother helped me to prove them wrong by spending many hours doing physio with me in my early years. I honestly can't afford to lose my walk now because I've dreams of working in Forensic Science. I graduated with a BSc Chemistry with Forensic Science degree from UCC in October. I'm suffering with a lot of pain and muscle spasms and I've gotten zero support from the HSE since turning 18. I've a degree but I can't use it because I can't stand or walk for long periods and this is getting worse the older I get. No one should fear their future but I honestly do without SDR surgery. I'm now battling both with my mind and body, it's very difficult to emotionally be like any other 24 year old but physically I feel a lot older. I need this surgery to prevent my mobility from deteriorating and ultimately resulting in me using a wheelchair. If you can help me achieve my dreams of living a pain free life and keeping my mobility by having this surgery I would be forever grateful. Kate