Help Christina with operation to save her career

This is my dear friend Christina, blessed with a wonderful soprano voice, which she has used to delight concert audiences throughout Europe. An emergency in November last year put her future singing career in jeopardy.

" A Night at the Musicals" was a concert planned for November at Christina's old school in Framlingham. All that week, while rehearsing, she was troubled by a pain in her side, which seemed to intensify as the days went past. She struggled on, desperate to fulfill her commitment, but on the morning of the concert, she collapsed and was rushed to hospital. She was diagnosed with sepsis, caused by a badly diseased gall bladder.

Christina was devastated, not least because she had never had to cancel an appearance before and felt she was letting everyone down. After ten days of intensive treatment, she was allowed to go home but told to take four months' rest from singing. She was put on a zero-fat diet until her gall bladder was healed enough for an operation to remove it.

Although on an NHS emergency waiting list, with current waiting times as they are, Christina cannot have this essential operation for many months. The zero fat diet is excellent to ease the pain from her gall bladder, but not excellent for Christina's body. She is losing weight, which she can ill afford, tiny as she is already. She is in pain when she sings, and she must sing because that is her only income. Singing is her reason for being and a source of delight for all of us who love her voice and wonderful performances.

Christina is determined to honour the commitments she has already made, and the performances already booked. She will sing through a lack of energy and pain to keep these appointments despite medical advice to the contrary.

Christina is no stranger to fundraising - for others, of course. She is an ambassador for the Sick Children's Trust, The War Horse Memorial (part of the Purple Poppy Organisation) and the Soldiering On Awards. She has worked with The Elizabeth Hospice and has raised money for the Gee Whizz charity. During the bleak days of the pandemic, Christina took her voice and a microphone to several care homes where she serenaded the patients from the gardens outside.

Her life has not been free of tragedy and challenge. A car accident, when she was only two, left her with a broken leg and burns, and her dear Mumzy with serious mobility issues which still cause her pain and limit her movements. Then, tragically, when Christina was eleven, her beloved Daddy died suddenly of cardiac arrhythmia. She was utterly devastated. He was her hero.

Watch the video below to hear Christina's story and her beautiful voice.

Christina has found a surgeon privately who could potentially perform this essential operation as early as February. Funds raised would be used to:

Any amount you can give would be wonderful. Christina's singing career can continue with your support. Please help this lovely nightingale to sing again.