Hi, we’re Katie and Thomas, and we’re asking for help for our son, George. Some parts of this may feel a little uncomfortable to read, but it’s important for us to be open about what he’s going through.

George is absolute sunshine. He radiates positivity. For several years now, George has been struggling with ongoing bowel issues, which have significantly worsened over the past 12 months. What most people take for granted—feeling comfortable, going out without worry, and enjoying everyday routines—has become incredibly difficult and distressing for him.

He has been in chronic pain both day and night for months now, and over the past 6 months, he has been experiencing multiple daily and nightly accidents. These aren’t typical ’movements’—they are painful, distressing, require a lot of personal care and don’t bring him any relief. George’s bowels don’t function ‘normally’ or have a full movement for sometimes up to seven days.

A few weeks ago, George had to go to hospital after waking in severe pain and being unable to urinate. Difficulty urinating is an ongoing symptom which contributes to his stomach pain. While the doctor in A&E was concerned there may be an underlying issue and requested a specialist referral, this was unfortunately declined by our GP as his condition was written off as ‘’constipation’’ not considered “severe enough.” We were sent home with laxatives and advised to manage the pain with Calpol.

As parents, it’s heartbreaking to watch your child go through something like this, for so long, and feel unable to fix it. George is becoming increasingly upset and anxious. He worries about leaving the house without spare clothes, feels distressed about getting washed, and is now even anxious about going to school some mornings in case he has an accident. It’s beginning to take a toll on his mental wellbeing as well as his physical health. He has also been experiencing back pain and bladder pain for some time now, which have been left without investigation despite raising concerns to multiple GP’s over the years.

Over the years, we’ve seen multiple GPs, had basic tests done, seen incontinence teams, tried various treatments—but nothing has worked, and we strongly feel something is being missed. It always comes back around to ‘ask the school nursing team for help’ or ‘try these laxatives instead’.

We’ve now found a specialist we believe could help. Dr. Hope at King’s College Hospital in London is highly experienced in paediatric gastroenterology, as well as ADHD and food allergies, making him an ideal fit for George’s needs. We’re hopeful this could be a turning point.

However, the costs involved—consultations, follow-ups, diagnostic tests, and travel and accommodation from Cornwall to London—are more than we can manage alone.

It has also come to our attention, due to lack of feeling & control in George’s bowel & bladder, that George likely also needs to see a neuro specialist to rule out other possible other causes.

That’s why we’ve set up this page, with an initial goal of £1,000 to get George started on the path to proper care.

If we can reach this goal, it means:

• George can finally see the right specialist

• We can start getting the answers he desperately needs

• And most importantly, he has a real chance of feeling better and living more comfortably

We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us so far—it truly means the world.

If you’re able to donate, anything makes a difference and brings us closer to helping George. And if you’re not in a position to donate, sharing this page would mean just as much.

*an update as of 16th April, George now has his first appointment with the specialist, Dr. Benjamin Hope, booked on 6th May. Thank you so much for making this possible. This is just the beginning, and travel costs are a lot, so any further donations or shares to reach our goal would mean so much. George has a sparkle back in his eye at the hope he will be on the path to being pain free soon.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read George’s story and for any support you can give—it means more to us than we can put into words ❤️