AN ELGIN MUM who had been misdiagnosed as suffering from anorexia for 20 years is set to fly to Germany for life-saving surgery – but only after a fantastic community fundraising effort.
NHS Grampian refused to fund overseas treatment that no surgeon in the UK could undertake when 31-year-old Isla Evans was eventually diagnosed as suffering from a rare condition that could have killed her in months if it remained untreated.
Mrs Evans has superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) and had suffered for many years because doctors had assumed she was anorexic until very recently. Because of her condition digesting food was a painful process as the condition caused an intestinal obstruction.
Following the decision by NHS Grampian, an appeal was launched to raise the £16,000 required to cover her flights and surgery in Germany where she would be able to undergo ground-breaking surgery by Professor Wilhelm Sandmann in Duisburg.
Now the mother of two has been expressing her gratitude to members of her local community who helped raise the funds to allow the trip to go ahead. She told the Press and Journal: “I just want to say a big thank you to everybody who helped raise funds – the community spirit has been amazing.
“I’m still concerned something could go wrong during surgery – but I have been speaking with a Swiss woman who had it done last week and that has been very reassuring.”
A recent fundraising effort by the Cadora chip shop in Elgin saw £1000 being raised towards the fund with further help coming from a fun day in the New Elgin Hall. Fundraising efforts will continue to help support Mrs Evans should she have to travel for further treatment as she would not be able to secure travel insurance.
Anyone who wishes to contribute to Mrs Evans’ appeal can do so via her Go Fund Me page.