A determined Moray wheelchair bound woman is hoping to raise £20,000 to undergo surgery to give her “more freedom” in life.
Chloe O’Hare from Elgin was diagnosed with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy when she was born nine weeks early.
The condition means the muscles in her legs are so tight that she is unable to do simple things like walking unaided.
She is currently able to transfer from her chair when needed however this can be painful.
Now she is on a mission to raise the funds needed to cover the costs of intense physio, equipment and the Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy operation.
It is hoped that the “life charging” procedure involving cutting sensory nerves in the spinal cord can reduce spasticity and give back some mobility for her.
Funding disappointment
In 2018, she travelled to the Walton Centre in Liverpool to meet a neurosurgeon to discuss the potential of getting the procedure as it isn’t available in Scotland for adults.
Then she was given the green light for the procedure after NHS Grampian paid for specialist scans.
However, the health board rejected her funding request for the procedure as a result of the operation having to take place in Liverpool and SDR being an unknown procedure in Grampian.
Miss O’Hare explained: “Around August 2018, I went down to Liverpool for the scans regarding the operation and got the answer that I got accepted for the surgery and then the funding request to NHS Grampian was declined.
“The cost isn’t the procedure itself but what happens afterwards is that you have to have intense physio which costs £450 per a week down at Walk This Way in Perth.
“Cerebral palsy is an ongoing disability so there needs to be ongoing physio.”
‘It is just about having a lot more freedom to do things’
The 29-year-old, who lives with her German Shepherd dog Gucci, receives support from personal assistants on a daily basis to achieve her goals.
She is now focused on getting the surgery to improve her quality of life.
She added: ” It is just about having a lot more freedom to do things and I am completely stuck in my chair on a daily basis.
“This operation could mean I could walk to the toilet and back and even go to make a cup of coffee.
“Things like that don’t mean a lot to others but it means a lot to me.
“I can’t stand at all but can transfer but it is really sore and hard.
“With the tightness being taken away from my body if I get the operation it would be 100 times easier for me.
Fundraising
Miss O’Hare added about her fundraising page: “Thanks to everyone who has shared and donated so far on the page.
“My main focus before I have the surgery is to get my body as strong as possible which will make the recovery a little easier.
“As I am an adult I have struggled to find funding options so any support would be greatly appreciated and it would change my life.
To donate visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/chloe-ohare-1