Help Miriam and Alice rebuild their lives

I’m fundraising to help Miriam and Alice rebuild their lives after Miriam was hospitalised 12 weeks ago.

At 23 years old, she was hospitalised due to new symptoms of severe back pain, loss of feeling in her legs and bladder, and uncontrollable seizures. The NHS care provided is far from adequate. You can help by donating to cover some of the care Miriam needs in order to recover and rebuild her life.

At the beginning of June 2023, Miriam had just qualified with distinction as a Speech and Language Therapist, was working her dream job in the specialist Down Syndrome service, and living with her then partner in Reading.

Her sister Alice was living in Brighton having just started managing Sponsor a Dog for Dogs Trust, living with her husband and rescue dog.

Then, Miriam was suddenly faced with severe back pain, loosing feeling in her legs, bowel and bladder. Her partner left her, leaving her homeless and she lost her job. Then the uncontrollable seizures started, triggered every time Miriam moved or rolled and suddenly she needed 24 hr care and monitoring. Alice dropped everything and is still on unpaid leave to this day so she can care for her sister.

This was the start of twelve weeks of hospitalisation, invasive medical procedures, fighting for the care Miriam needs and deserves, and a bucketload of pain and stress.

Despite all the difficulties and challenges, Miriam has made astounding progress. Recently, Miriam has gone from not being able to roll over without a seizure, to getting out of bed for a short time, twice a day, often without a seizure. She has defied all expectations of the medical staff.

Now, Miriam needs neuro rehab but the NHS are unable to provide the staffing and environment needed to cater for the level of care she currently needs. Miriam’s family have been left with no choice but to take her to her Grandpas in North London which is the only accessible accommodation available to them. NHS care that is being provided is far from adequate to help Miriam continue to progress, and to keep her monitored and safe.

Miriam is still mostly bed bound. And while she is fighting with astonishing strength to slowly get better (which she is achieving against all odds), she still needs constant monitoring and help with absolutely everything. Alice cannot do this all day and all night, everyday after almost three months of doing so.

While the sisters’ parents are working hard to organise and adapt a flat for Miriam’s future, and to fund some supplemental health care assistants and therapies, in the meantime Alice and Miriam need to get out of hospital to a safe and nurturing environment. To have some quality of life, to stop eating rubbish hospital food and takeaways, for Alice to have a bedroom (and not sleep on a blow up mattress on the hospital floor).

You can make a huge difference, to help provide the care and specialist help that Miriam needs and give Alice some much needed time off from 24hr care, a chance to go home to be with her husband and the ability to start going back to work.

£15 provides an hour of care.

£180 provides care for 12hrs, a full day and allows Alice to go home.

£1260 provides a week of care.

Every little bit makes a huge difference.

Miriam is incredibly determined to get back to her life. The incredible progress she has

made is a testament to her determination, and with the right support, Miriam can and will walk again, be independent again, and get back to her bright future, but she needs care and help to get there.

 

I am creating this go fund me because Miriam and her family deserve all the love and help in the world.

Thank you for reading their story and for any contribution you can make.