Hello. My story is pretty simple. I'm 34 and I've been in chronic pain for approximately 12 years in my back, hips, legs and feet. This is caused by DDD (degenerative disc disease). This is causing me to have crumbling and herniating discs in my lumbar spine.

I've already had 2 spinal surgeries to help keep me on my feet and mobile, and I take an inhumane amount of medication that I really don't want to be taking. Now it's gotten to the point where I am needing yet another surgery, but unfortunately in the UK I can only have a 4 level spinal fusion. There is no option for artificial disc replacement, so I need to go to a European hospital if I want to have this done. A fusion is what it says on the tin, they fuse the vertabrae together, limiting mobility, and yet still leaving the painful discs in place.

The funds I'm trying to raise are to have a state of the art, 3 level artificial disc replacement at the ONZ hospital, in Germany. This will completely replace my herniating and torn discs in my spine and remove the pressure on my spinal nerve, relieving the constant pain I'm in, and hopefully eradicating the need for the heavy prescription medication altogether.

This surgery would be a Godsend, after speaking with the surgeons in Germany and having my assessments, the options they have given are like a shining light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

Currently, even the simplest things, like playing with my daughter or picking her up for a cuddle, are unimaginably painful. Hearing that I could be almost pain free after this surgery is something I'd never before imagined was possible. The quality of life it's offering, for both me and my family, would make all the difference in the world. In the future I will be able to work to my full potential again, and get back a normal life, being able to do even simple things like gardening, working or walking the dogs, it would mean so much.

The costs of the surgery and associated fees (travel, rehab, medication etc.) total a little over £35,000. Any money raised over this amount, I will donate to the hospital, to help towards the next person in the same position as me. This is not a surgery I can get funding for on the NHS, so I need to raise the money myself, and with the help of the just giving site I really hope I can reach my goal.

Thank you for reading.