In many ways Frankie is a normal 15 year old trying to find her place in the world. She is a talented actress and she is an amazing gymnast, a TeamGym (Micro) British Bronze Medalist, having the potential to be one of the best gymnasts in the country. A fantastic Gymnastics coach, respected and loved by all, Frankie is the heart of our Gym family. What isn't normal about Frankie is the fact that she has a condition called GASTROPARESIS (Basically her Stomach doesn't work) She suffers constant pain, debilitating acid re flux and vomiting and is unable to eat. Frankie is feed via a NJ tube (a tube is thread through her nose and stomach into her jejunum) often her vomiting is so severe that she throws up her tube and has to go to hospital for it to be reinserted. It has taken a long time for Frankie to receive the correct diagnosis, Frankie and her family have had to fight to be heard. She has spent a significant amount of time over the last 2 years being in and out of hospital often for weeks at a time. She has had to deal with the misdiagnosis of Anorexia and the psychological consequences of not being believed. She was failed by the NHS. With all that Frankie and her family have been through over the last 2 years, one thing has remained a constant in her life. Frankie has shown courage, determination and pure strength of character to continue with her gymnastics journey. She attends every training session that it is physically possible to attend, puts in 100% at every session and strives to be the best at what she does. What she has achieved with this debilitating condition and the NJ tube in place is truly awe inspiring, what she would achieve without it? That could be magnificent! Is Frankie's condition curable? YES! Frankie can have an operation to fit a device (Gastric Pacemaker) that provides Gastric Stimulation, meaning that she would no longer need the NJ feeding tube. Here comes the problem and yet again she has been let down by the NHS. WHY? Well NHS England do not fund the quality of life operation that Frankie needs. The operation is however funded in Wales, Scotland and Ireland, with these patients being sent to England for their surgery, but as Frankie lives in England in order for her to have this surgery, it must be SELF FUNDED at a cost of between £17000 and £23000. This does not include the cost of aftercare. Frankie needs this operation, she needs this chance to be a happy go lucky 15 year old, to eat a meal with her family and friends. She deserves the chance to reach her full potential not only in the sport that she loves but with her future career and family life. This is why her gym family, Elements Gymnastics have set up this page in the hope to raise the funds needed to change the lives of Frankie and her family for the better.

Our goal of £17,000 will cover the cost of the operation to fit the Gastric Pacemaker any additional funds will contribute towards: Necessary aftercare, follow up appointments and treatments & Educational Courses to make up for the significant amount of time spent out of school due to this illness that will enable Frankie to achieve her desired future career.