Katherine is only 23 years old and has endured a roller-coaster ride growing up with Aspergers and a chronic pain condition. She has always known that she wanted to become a veterinary nurse and her determination has enabled her to overcome many obstacles...

However, quite suddenly, in November 2016, Katherine became ill and rapidly deteriorated so that by the following April she could only consume liquid foods and even then, this caused her pain and frequently made her sick. In May 2017 a diagnosis was finally made of chronic idiopathic gastroparesis. Since then Katherine has been fitted with a succession of feeding tubes to supply her nutrition but this has not come without a series of complications such as infection. She also has to take a large number of different medications to control her symptoms and has had many stays in hospital to help with dehydration as well as manage her pain. She has had to give up many of her pastimes such as horse riding, playing badminton and only occasionally is able to walk her beloved dog Cassie.

Katherine has been very determined to continue to work because its always been her dream and brings her happiness and positivity. She is still studying to become a qualified veterinary nurse and has been passing her exams with flying colours even though she has been in and out of hospital!

If you have had the honour of meeting Katherine you will understand how special she is and how much she has always put everybody else first before herself. She is the most caring and strongest person I have ever met. However this horrendous diagnosis is severely effecting her mental wellbeing.

We hope to raise as much as we can towards the cost of an operation to fit a gastric pacemarker, as the NHS are not funding it. A gastric pacemaker works in a similar way to cardiac pacemarker, but the electrodes are implanted into the stomach wall.

The pacemaker will reduce her nausea, vomiting and pain, it would bring back the chance to eating and socialising with family and friends, which most of us take for granted. She can resume her favorite past times including her love of baking. Having more energy thanks to undisturbed sleep and a better nutrition would enable her to make the most of each day. Katherine would not have to battle through the complications with her feeding tubes or the side effects from strong opioid painkillers. Her life would improve for the better as she will be less reliant on medications and not be interrupted with countless hospital stays.

Our target is to raise at least £10,000 for the pacemaker and anything over this will go towards maintenance of the pacemaker, further research, and supporting charities to raise awareness of gastroparesis.

She is a genuinely wonderful person and deserves the very best in life. I hope that we can help achieve our goal and allow Katherine to taste actual food again instead of through a tube, something she hasn’t done for 2 years!

Thank you for your time.

Carly Taylor - Katherines close friend, colleague and head nurse at Hook Vets