Fundraising campaign launched for Shropshire veteran in need of urgent spinal surgery

Due to the nature of the injury, it has deteriorated with time and now requires more support than the NHS, charities, friends and family can give.

Her friends set up a JustGiving page and are desperately trying to raise the profile of the campaign for Alex, who is now on a minimum of a 12 month wait list for the NHS for urgent spinal surgery, unless she can raise £15,000 to go private before Christmas.

Alex, now an English teacher, was in the Royal Military Police for 15 years, serving in both Iraq (Op TELIC 1 and 6) and Afghanistan (Op HERRICK 6 and 10). 

In 2009, at the age of 26, whilst deployed her team were caught up in a blast. 

Whilst Alex did not lose her life, or any limbs, she did suffer with a cervical-spine injury. 

She carried on her deployment as it was a chaotic/traumatic tour for many and she wanted to help and keep going. 

She did receive treatment for the injury on return to the UK and since then has 'managed it and it's flare-ups with medical interventions that no longer work.

Unfortunately, spinal injuries are rarely fixed, and the initial injury sustained in 2009 has worsened; and it was heavily impacted in March of this year when she was injured at work.

This incident led to a herniated disc pressing on the C6 nerve - now giving her constant pain, numbness and weakness in her arm. 

The specialist surgeon she has been under the care of has said that she requires an anterior cervical decompression and fusion - this has been referred as an urgent operation and should relieve the pressure on the nerve and stabilise her neck.

Alex has always been the strongest person to her friends and family, and those who have worked with her. She has always supported those who need help. She is currently unable to work, the medication does not help the pain, she has a lack of mobility and is not able to be the impressive woman, wife, mother and friend that she is.

Alex is a mum to a 4-year-old daughter's who she is missing out on all the important daily moments with like being able to put her to bed, or pick her up.

Her friends started a JustGiving site this week, and it's reached £2,130 in just a couple of days - but this will stagnate without momentum and support.

Alex has reached out to SSAFA, and they are compiling a case to go out to charities for further support, who all do a great job, for lots of people, but none specifically cater for this kind of support, but she needs this to be acted on quickly to get her surgery before Christmas.

Thank you for reading and I hope that you can find someway to support someone who gave her all when it mattered most.