£1,200 raised towards Samantha Smith’s lifesaving surgery with sponsored bounce at Tramp2Lean

£1,200 raised towards Samantha Smith’s lifesaving surgery with sponsored bounce at Tramp2Lean

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40 children and adults took part in a sponsored ‘bounce’ at Tramp2Lean Rochdale on Tuesday (9 May) to raise more than £1,200 for Samantha Smith, the young mum from Smithy Bridge who urgently requires life-saving neurosurgery.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/109403/samantha-smith-in-desperate-rush-to-raise-%C2%A3150000-for-life-saving-surgery

Suzanne Gumbley, who organised the bounce, said: “We raised an amazing £1,211 for Sam. Thank you Tramp2Lean Rochdale for supporting the ‘Save Samantha’ campaign by donating the venue free of charge.”

Tramp2Lean, based at Trafalgar Centre, Rochdale, donated an hour free of charge, and 40 youngsters and their parents each paid £4 plus sponsorship to take part.  The centre also generously gave two free bounces sessions to the person who raised the most money.

Sam’s children Jensen, eight, and Brooke, seven, accepted the cheque on their mum’s behalf as Samantha was in Barcelona at the time exploring other surgery options.

The single mum of two said: “I’ve been brought to tears already by the incredible support from all who joined in the Tramp2Lean sponsored bounce. £1,211.50 was raised alongside lots and lots of smiles. I’m very proud and thankful.”

Samantha was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) in December 2016, after ‘a lifetime of pain and eight years of tests, misdiagnoses and ill health’. 

EDS is a genetic condition that means connective tissue holding the body together is faulty and too weak, causing extreme widespread pain, daily dislocations, cardiac abnormalities and multiple other illnesses. It affects around one in 5,000 people worldwide.

The 30-year-old’s brain and spinal cord are being crushed under the weight of her own skull as the ligaments in Samantha’s neck are too stretched and weakened to support her head in a condition known as Crainocervical Instability (CCI).

CCI can arise in EDS sufferers due to a lack of connective tissue support at the craniocervical junction (between the skull and first two vertebrae of the spine).

Sam desperately needs to raise £150,000 in just six weeks for an operation with an international surgeon that has a 95 percent success rate. Despite the high success rate, there are no surgeons qualified in the UK to conduct the complex surgery that can keep her alive.

If she does not receive this vital surgery, the condition will kill her after causing organ failure and paralysis.

Currently, a grand total of £40,168 has been raised towards the surgery so far.

To help Save Samantha, visit:

https://www.youcaring.com/samanthasmith-788861/update/635470