Restore Hope for Katie After Tragic Fire

WHO IS HOSTING THIS FUNDRAISER

My name is Rachelle Hollingdale, I live in Ohio, I've been a friend of Katie's for over 15 years. I've watched Katie go through five critical episodes and seen her recover when the conditions were right. Through it all, Katie’s will to live surpasses anyone’s that I've ever known. Please watch the video for the short version and the in-depth version is below.

A tragic event occurred on Aug. 11 that has left Katie in a dire situation. She has lost her only home, a safe trailer, that is essential to her recovery. Katie has suffered a relapse due to the fire exposure. An emergency temporary tent is her only source of shelter. However, this arrangement is completely inadequate as a long-term solution. We urgently need to raise this money before the worst of the winter weather arrives. Time is of the essence, Katie's recovery and now her survival depends on fast action.

Katie’s chances of surviving winter without a safe shelter are slim. However, there is also genuine, tangible hope; when provided with the right environment, every single time, Katie’s body has responded with an incredible speed of recovery.

Although I'm far away and unable to help in person, I'm committed to raising funds for Katie. Please join me in helping to secure a safe shelter and replacements for essential items lost in the fire, to help Katie reclaim the progress that she has fought so hard for! I know the number can seem high but we are factoring in exchange rates, as I am in the USA, many donors are in the UK, & EU.

55,000 USD

49,717 EUR

41,866 GBP

All the items needed replaced are listed towards the bottom and itemized pricing can be provided upon request.

TRAGEDY STRIKES

In early August, after 10 years of fighting starvation, multiple critical episodes and raising funds to reach this goal; Katie finally made the transition into an adapted hypoallergenic trailer, the only housing her immune system can tolerate.

Within a week, her condition had drastically improved, even her severe GI failure (which has been limiting her to 200 calories of elemental formula daily) began to resolve. This allowed her to begin to eat small portions of normal food again. Katie went from being completely bedbound, unable to make small movements unaided; to walking freely, handwashing clothes, and even cooking small meals! Such rapid progress in severe ME cases is incredibly rare, and her swift recovery brought a huge sense of relief to Katie and her parents. They finally had a moment of respite from the constant battle that is the consequence of having a loved one with this woefully neglected illness.

Tragically, on the 8th day, disaster struck. A faulty power cord caused a fire that has destroyed Katie’s trailer and all of her belongings. Katie has lost her emerging recovery and, in that moment, everything she, her family, her friends and her sole care provider have worked so hard for and for so many years, has gone.

Katie and her parents, having already sacrificed Katie’s home and possessions to fund the life-saving journey, are left utterly heartbroken and at a loss. This disaster, occurring so soon into what was promising to be transformative for Katie, has shattered them after ten years of tireless preparation and determination.

KATIE'S ILLNESSES & BACKGROUND

Katie has an advanced case of severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and life-threatening GI failure. She fell ill when she was 14 years old, but was determined to live a normal life from the start. Her ambition was to become an opera singer and she performed regularly with the English National Opera, and every minute of her spare time was spent with her beloved horses.

Sadly, she continued to deteriorate and by the age of 23, Katie was housebound. The next 12 years were spent exploring every possible treatment approach available; medical, nutritional, naturopathic, alternative, but nothing made any difference.

By 2013, Katie was existing in a darkened room with her GI system rapidly shutting down. Too weak to support her own head, it was held in a sling so she could be fed minute teaspoons of the protein formula that was all she could take in. Unable to tolerate any stimulation, nobody could stay in the room with Katie to offer her any comfort.

It soon became transparent that Katie was weeks from death. With no medical avenues available, her doctor warned her parents to prepare for the worst, and the fight to save Katie’s life began.

Due to the relatively unknown severity of ME and the recent discovery of MCAS, leading medical experts have stepped in to provide clarity on Katie's situation. The world's leading ME researcher and a prominent doctor in mast cell disorders have written letters explaining that the UK climate significantly exacerbates Katie's condition. They assert that a lifestyle focused on avoiding immune system triggers is her best chance at mitigating life-threatening reactions and supporting the possibility of recovery.

As one of the doctors stated, "Mast cell activation syndrome was first identified in 1991, and research has only begun to intensify in the last ten years. While we have treatments that work for some patients, many still suffer from severe reactions despite aggressive medication. For all MCAS patients, avoiding triggers is critical to managing the illness. Mold can be particularly difficult to avoid, especially since MCAS patients can react to even trace amounts. For these patients, living in a damp climate (like England) may be impossible."

It took Katie, her parents, and her friends a decade of effort to obtain this safe trailer, the only environment that could provide her with desperately needed relief. Time is now against us; we urgently need help replacing her shelter before winter sets in. Without it, Katie's recovery hangs in the balance.

WHY IS THE TRAILER CRITICAL?

Katie learned that her extreme reactions to mold and chemicals were severely impacting her ME, devastating her gut and worsening her condition to critical levels.

With time, care, and the aid of a private ambulance, Katie was relocated from the UK to Portugal, with hope that the drier climate and clean, unspoiled environments might offer the chance of improvement and slow down the gut shut down that is often fatal in severe ME.

While the move undoubtedly saved Katie’s life, her extreme sensitivity to mold persisted, making standard housing completely intolerable and causing recurrent setbacks that repeatedly threatened her life.

However, on the rare occasions where she was surrounded by mold-free and chemical-free environments, Katie's body responded with miraculous recoveries— something that’s truly extraordinary in the context of severe ME.

In 2020, Katie got her first chance at mold avoidance, and all her symptoms went into a full remission. It was amazing to witness—within days she could eat solid food again, and in a few weeks, she enjoyed full meals, gaining urgently-needed weight and strength. As winter came Katie had to go back to standard houses. Just as quickly, her health deteriorated and she returned to near starvation with risks of serious dehydration.

Eventually, Katie was given a central line to receive nutrition intravenously. Unfortunately, this intervention was lost when she suffered two bouts of sepsis, causing her veins to collapse and making it impossible to insert another line. The only viable option left for her nutrition is predigested elemental formula, but her frequent severe reactions to mold prevent her from being able to take in enough to sustain herself.

Katie has now been in protein malnutrition for several months, and her trailer was ready in the nick of time. It only took one week for Katie’s gut to begin to process normal food. She was successfully taking in soups and solid food by the time the fire happened.

BREAKDOWN OF WHAT IS NEEDED

Now that a thorough evaluation of the campsite has been conducted, we have identified the following essential items that need to be replaced. The funds raised will be used to acquire these items and support Katie's recovery:

-Replacement of Essential Shelter: Trailer/Van

Our top priority is securing a mold-safe living environment by either replacing the modified Hero camper that was lost or converting a cargo trailer/van. A metal-foam-metal sandwich insulation design is the best option to prevent mold growth. The original Hero camper cost £28,306 (37,164USD, 33,644EUR), including modifications and tax, and we estimate the cost of a converted trailer will be similar. With your generous support and kindness, we'll thoughtfully choose the option that best serves Katie's needs, taking into account both the availability and the lead time to ensure we can provide her with a safe living space as quickly as possible.

-Emergency winter accommodation if goal is not met before bad weather hits (Katie is not resilient enough to manage harsh weather in a tent).

-Joolca camping shower - this is gas powered so hot showers outdoors are possible in poor weather.

-Clothes - mainly proper outdoor gear (Katie still thankfully has her Helly Hansen coat and rainproof over trousers, but all her thermals and winter gear was lost).

-Shoes - trainers and crocs.

-Three awnings were lost and replacement awnings that serve the same purposes will be needed, but the specific type will depend on the kind of trailer acquired.

-----Penta 180, providing shade and a covered area for Katie to receive help

-----Rainproof kitchen awning designed for the Hero camper

-----Thule Omnistor for shelter from the rain.

-Walkie talkies for communication with carers.

-Chair to sit at table - Kampa tub chair.

-Chair to rest - Nemo star gaze (Nemo products are chemical and pesticide free).

-Metal camping tables X2.

-Radiator (oil filled).

-Tarp X2.

-Groundsheet X2.

-Plug in cool box.

-Kitchen equipment - crockery, cutlery, cookware etc (all irreparably damaged).

-Cadac 2 cook 3 pro stove.

-Kettle.

-Step (metal).

-Portable AC unit - lost to water damage putting out the fire.

-Dehumidifier.

-Mosquito net.

-Teton -35 winter sleeping bags X3.

-Silk sleeping bag liners (for warmth) X2.

-Bed sheets X2.

-Thermarest Mondoking camping mattress.

-Carp life bivvy loo camping toilet.

-Cotton blankets.

-Miscellaneous equipment - storage boxes, guy ropes, solar lamps, phone/iPad chargers, power cables, multi plug etc.

-Loss for fees from transfers from me to Katie's team

THANK YOU

I would like to thank a few key individuals who have been instrumental in Katie's journey: Jason, her primary carer who has tirelessly supported her both in the UK and in Portugal; Mary & Peter, Katie's parents who, without their unwavering support, none of this journey would have been possible they have truly saved Katie's life; and Becca, who runs a prize draw group on Facebook that consistently provides monthly contributions to help Katie and Jason maintain their journey. To learn more about Becca's efforts, please visit her group here. Supporting Katie's Journey I'm sure there are many more people who Katie would like to thank and will when she is able to.

Thank you to all those family, friends and strangers who have been following along in Katie's dedicated Facebook group. The supportive comments and cheerleading is something that has helped keep Katie going through very dark times. To learn more visit Katie's Journey Lastly, thank you to all of you who read this, share this, and donate!!!! With everyone's help we will get Katie to the other side of this awful setback.

PLANS MOVING FORWARD

-We are hoping to have this goal met by November 15th when the weather severely starts to change.

-Weekly updates (minimum) will be provided to hear Katie's conditions both physically and living (good or bad).

-Open door policy! If you would like further private information or questions please feel free to contact me, I will act as a go between to assist information getting to who it needs to go to. Please understand if you require responses from Katie those can take a while do to the fluctuation in her condition and cognition daily due to the illnesses.