Knee surgery funds
Donation protected
Four years ago I tore my ACL while skating in Australia. Being the stubborn person I am I didn’t go to the hospital immediately and put up with the excruciating pain thinking my knee just needed rest for a few weeks.
Needless to say, the pain didn’t subside, but by the time I went to the doctor I had missed the window for immediate surgery and had to be put on a waiting list. I waited 8 months, and in that time I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to move back to Europe on a journalism scholarship. I took the chance and it was a boost I needed to put me on the path I’m now on career wise.
In the two years since finishing the scholarship I have been working as a freelance journalist, photographer and filmmaker, mainly telling stories of humanitarian concerns and human rights abuses in the Middle East. I have not stopped work for enough time in order to be able to have the surgery. Further to this, I have not made enough money in order to have any time off.
There have been multiple times where I have been doing my job or volunteer work and my knee has collapsed, rending me unable to walk for a few days. The most notable was during a clash with Palestinian protestors and Israeli soldiers, and my knee collapsed as the soldiers were running and shooting towards a colleague and I. This, I have to say, is pretty terrifying when you are unable to move away from possible danger.
As a freelance journalist, I have no medical cover and no time off work for recovery. Beside this, I am paid a pittance compared to the amount of hours I put into my work. I recently went to the doctor where I’m now based in Turkey. We took new MRI scans of my knee and I now have meniscus damage as well, due to the amount of times my knee has collapsed while working since first injury.
I have worked for leading publications such as The Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera, PRI, Deutsche Welle, VICE, ABC and SBS World News. I work across Turkey, Iraq, Northern Syria and Palestine. I’m also the Middle East stringer for Australian Associated Press. The thing is, just like any freelancer, we aren’t paid enough, we have no medical expenses accounted for and it’s difficult to take time off work.
In the time since I have torn my ACL, I have also volunteered in global projects building skateparks and teaching kids how to skate, namely in Ethiopia and Palestine. I have slowly slipped from skateboarding and building because of how bad my knee has become. I want to build again. I want to skate again. I want to be able to teach kids again. Without risk of my knee collapsing.
I need to have knee surgery at the very earliest time, that being November this year. The costs in Turkey for this type of surgery is US$4,000. The physiotherapy costs for rehabilitation is also an important part to factor in, though it is unsure of an exact figure right now. Rehabilitation begins from the very point of surgery, ongoing for eight months. Further to this, I will be unable to work for the first two months.
I am looking for support and assistance in order to have knee surgery this November in order to continue reporting and to continue contributing my time to volunteer projects.
Needless to say, the pain didn’t subside, but by the time I went to the doctor I had missed the window for immediate surgery and had to be put on a waiting list. I waited 8 months, and in that time I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to move back to Europe on a journalism scholarship. I took the chance and it was a boost I needed to put me on the path I’m now on career wise.
In the two years since finishing the scholarship I have been working as a freelance journalist, photographer and filmmaker, mainly telling stories of humanitarian concerns and human rights abuses in the Middle East. I have not stopped work for enough time in order to be able to have the surgery. Further to this, I have not made enough money in order to have any time off.
There have been multiple times where I have been doing my job or volunteer work and my knee has collapsed, rending me unable to walk for a few days. The most notable was during a clash with Palestinian protestors and Israeli soldiers, and my knee collapsed as the soldiers were running and shooting towards a colleague and I. This, I have to say, is pretty terrifying when you are unable to move away from possible danger.
As a freelance journalist, I have no medical cover and no time off work for recovery. Beside this, I am paid a pittance compared to the amount of hours I put into my work. I recently went to the doctor where I’m now based in Turkey. We took new MRI scans of my knee and I now have meniscus damage as well, due to the amount of times my knee has collapsed while working since first injury.
I have worked for leading publications such as The Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera, PRI, Deutsche Welle, VICE, ABC and SBS World News. I work across Turkey, Iraq, Northern Syria and Palestine. I’m also the Middle East stringer for Australian Associated Press. The thing is, just like any freelancer, we aren’t paid enough, we have no medical expenses accounted for and it’s difficult to take time off work.
In the time since I have torn my ACL, I have also volunteered in global projects building skateparks and teaching kids how to skate, namely in Ethiopia and Palestine. I have slowly slipped from skateboarding and building because of how bad my knee has become. I want to build again. I want to skate again. I want to be able to teach kids again. Without risk of my knee collapsing.
I need to have knee surgery at the very earliest time, that being November this year. The costs in Turkey for this type of surgery is US$4,000. The physiotherapy costs for rehabilitation is also an important part to factor in, though it is unsure of an exact figure right now. Rehabilitation begins from the very point of surgery, ongoing for eight months. Further to this, I will be unable to work for the first two months.
I am looking for support and assistance in order to have knee surgery this November in order to continue reporting and to continue contributing my time to volunteer projects.
Organizer
Tessa Fox
Organizer
Oxley, QLD