Sarah’s fight 4 brain surgery ♥

Have you ever wondered how you’d feel as a young mum if the only thing on your bucket list was to feel well enough to get out of bed and care for your children? If you lived each day knowing it could actually be your last? If you’re in so much pain that you’re unable to get out of bed sometimes for more than 15 days in a row? To be completely dependent on other people?

My name is Sarah Holden and this is my reality.

I’m the mum of four beautiful young girls aged from 4 to 15 and over the past twelve months I’ve experienced debilitating symptoms that have left me unable to care for my daughters and sometimes myself.

I was diagnosed recently with a rare pineal cystic brain tumour measuring 11mm x 10mm that without surgery could potentially end my life.

MRI showing the pineal cystic tumour, located in the centre of my brain, compressing the underlying cerebral aqueduct and causing chronic daily headaches, episodic blackouts, vision loss, hearing loss, nausea and insomnia.

Having this condition means I suffer from excruciating headaches, blackouts, loss of vision, insomnia, nausea, short term memory loss and hearing loss. These symptoms have dramatically impacted my quality of life and that of my children.

My physical decline over the past 12 months has been rapid and really frightening.
One of the few bright moments I’ve experienced over the past few weeks is that Australia’s leading neurosurgeon Dr. Charlie Teo not only reviewed my medical file but also agreed to perform the surgery required to remove my cystic tumour. I feel lucky, hopeful and grateful that Dr. Teo has agreed to perform my surgery but as a result, I also urgently need your help.

Dr. Charlie Teo is one of only a handful of neurosurgeons in the world willing to perform surgery on pineal cystic brain tumours because of complications that can occur due to the location within the brain. Patients who have been successfully operated on by Dr. Charlie Teo report that once the cystic tumour is removed it cured almost all of their symptoms. This surgery is genuinely my only hope of regaining my quality of life.

The cost of the surgery Dr. Teo has agreed to perform is more than $100,000 and I’m quickly running out of time. My health is deteriorating rapidly and if I don’t undergo surgery soon, my cystic tumour could at any point end my life.

If you can help me, please know that any amount, large or small will make a difference. On my bad days and weeks it might take me some time to reply to you but if you would like more information, please contact me at [email protected]