Dawn Drayton was a beautiful, healthy, happy 36 year-old who enjoyed life to the full. In February 2016 Dawn was bitten by a mosquito and what happened next sent shock waves through her family, friends and neighbours.

I want you to imagine what it would be like to wake up with a headache, fever, aching back, feeling thirsty, flu like. Dawn took a sip of water and started to choke, she was unable to swallow. Terrifyingly, she could not breath and this escalated into total respiratory failure, she was rushed into intensive care and placed on a ventilator to survive. The doctors said she had contracted the Chikungunya virus, and within days Dawn was in a coma, completely paralysed, her left lung had collapsed and her body had swollen to twice her natural size.

A neurologist was called, and the hopes and dreams that Dawn had for her life were shattered as she was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) a rare, potentially fatal auto-immune disorder for which there is no cure.

In her darkest hour Dawn pleaded with doctors to let her die, in intense pain and acutely depressed she wanted to give up. This was utterly devastating for Dawn’s family who witnessed the speed at which she became critically ill. Facial paralysis meant she was unable to smile anymore, she became hyper- sensitive to touch and could no longer hug or kiss her daughter, Dawn was in deep despair.

You might think it couldn’t get any worse, it did, Dawn started rehabilitation, to try and strengthen her muscles, but the Specialist had more bad news the GBS had caused NHO in her hips. Bone growths had started to form inside the soft tissue and muscles where bone does not normally exist. Occurring in only 6% of all GBS sufferers, Dawn was immediately referred to an orthopaedic surgeon who was brutally honest, the NHO was significant and advanced.

But you cannot keep a good woman down. Dawn’s faith, her belief in God gave her strength and against all the odds Dawn was determined to conquer her GBS & NHO. To retrain her body to complete the basic tasks of daily living, to feed herself, brush her teeth and hair, and walk again – but that would take a miracle!

Dawn started physical therapy in June 2016 to reverse the severe muscle atrophy, she can now sit up in a wheel chair, but her hip problem means that she has to keep her legs out straight, dangerous and painful. An American clinic offered treatment for Dawns’ NHO, her immobility could be fixed by international surgical treatments but the price was over a million US Dollars. Dawn’s family started a campaign but kept looking for a more realistic solution.

Nothing happens by chance, an English consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Manor Hospital in Oxford has agreed to perform the surgery, in total Dawn could get the treatment and care she needs for just £77,000.

The family has run out of money, but a miracle is in sight. Please help. Christmas is coming up. I am asking you to forego a present or a round of drinks and instead donate to the Dawn Drayton medical appeal. Help Dawn to walk again – it would be the best Christmas present that you have ever given.