THE mother of a north Belfast teenager who is suffering from an aggressive form of scoliosis has been left "overwhelmed" by efforts being made to fundraise to buy a special brace to help him.
Aisling Campbell, who lives in the New Lodge area, said she doesn't know how she will ever repay those who have so far donated to a GoFundMe campaign in aid of her son, Pearse.
The 18-year-old, who was diagnosed with epilepsy and cerebral palsy at 15-months, developed an aggressive form of scoliosis last year.
In the space of the last 12 months, he has developed a 74 degree curvature on his spine.
The curve is now crushing his organs and if left untreated, could lead to him losing his life.
The teenager, who is wheelchair-bound and a pupil at Glenveagh School, last year began complaining of pain
in his legs and subsequent investigations were carried out.
At the end of May, he was admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children after developing an infection.
He remained in hospital for seven weeks, two-and-a-half of which were spent on a ventilator.
A scan later detected a curvature on his spine.
Ms Campbell was told her son needed serious surgery, which were last 11 hours and which would see two rods inserted into his spine.
However she said she was told that, given her son's medical issues, he might not survive and so, the decision regarding surgery is under review.
In August, it was found the curvature had increased further and was pressing on his right lung.
Ms Campbell said she asked about a brace for Pearse to help make him more comfortable but when nothing was forthcoming she set out to make her own inquiries.
As a result she said the family found a doctor at The Kingston Scoliosis Clinic in London who has agreed to see Pearse on April 8 and carry out scans and make him a brace.
Family and friends set up a GoFundMe page in a bid to raise £15,000 to pay for the costs of the consultation, brace and travel as well as private physio afterwards.
To date more than £11,000 has been raised.
"I don't think surgery is going to be an option," Ms Campbell said.
"It is too complicated to have the surgery done. It's more or less about making him comfortable.
"This brace might not be a cure but it will stop him from bending and damaging the other organs in his body which will make him sick and end his life.
"If it works for him, it something he will have to wear for the rest of his life".
Ms Campbell said she and her husband, Anthony and Pearse would make the journey to England next week by boat to make the journey more comfortable for her son.
"I would travel all over the world if I had too," she said.
"He's my only child.
"I am watching him suffer. I might not be able to straighten him but if I can give him some quality of life that he can be with me, I will take anything.
"I have fought for him for 18 years. I am not going to give up now."
She added: "I am so so overwhelmed with the support.
"I don't know how I will repay them".
A spokesman for the Belfast health trust said it could not comment as it is "unable to comment on the confidential details of a patient".
**Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-pearse-get-to-london-for-his-treatment?
