Eight year-old Elsamae needs urgent eye and brain operations in Leeds
The parents of a Hull schoolgirl who has endured countless hospital trips and bullying due to an injury sustained as a toddler are appealing for funds to support an upcoming surgery and her “big wish”. Kristy Laws, the mum of eight year-old Elsamae has set up a fundraiser in the hope that her community will donate towards costs the family face when the youngster has two major operations in Leeds.
Elsamae suffered a life changing injury when she was almost three. The toddler had been playing in the park when she fell and a stick pierced her eye – landing her in hospital for weeks. In the five years since, the youngster has endured debilitating issues with her eye and more recently, scans showed the bombshell evidence that her brain had been pierced.
Doctors have told the family, who live in Easethorpe, that Elsamae must undergo two operations as soon as possible, bringing with them the need for significant facial reconstruction. And with that, another lengthy stay in hospital is expected with time off school.
Kristy, who is a mum-of-four, explained: “They found a little piece of wood in her eye and something around it, which they don’t know what is is. It’s also caused a little hole in the brain.
“So, she needs an operation to take that out and repair the hole. We don’t know if its tissue growing around it. To do that they have to shave most of her hair off and they’ve got to peel her face downwards to get to the eye. They’ve also go to take a piece of bone, which they may not be able to put back properly.”
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The ordeal is only the latest that Elsamae faces having gone through much of her childhood already with the visible scars of the injury and having to wear glasses as a result. Kristy says her daughter has faced bullying at school and frequently attracts comments in public and is worried about how the injury is going to impact her life.
She explained: “She even gets comments from adults who say: “who did you do that then?” She’s had a lot to deal with, really. The reason we’re asking for the funds is because we live in Hull and the surgery is Leeds and we’re going to be paying to get there and back a lot for appointments, as well as food and we might need a place to stay, to stay close to her.”
Kristy, who faces her own health issues and is cared for by partner Gareth, hopes that some of the money can be used to give Elsamae a memorable day ahead of the surgery. The schoolgirl is a keen rock climber and is dreaming of a day out climbing.
So far £55 of a £1,300 target has been raised on the Gofundme page. The family believe the surgeries will take place before Christmas, and could come in a matter of weeks owing the urgency of her condition.
Kristy said: “They don’t know if there is fluid leaking from the brain and that’s why they’ve got to do it quickly.” She added: “This fundraising is basically for Elsamae. We’re a low income family, we’ve got four kids and we struggle as it is. Trying to get all this on top of Christmas coming – we don’t know how we’re going to do it.”