Desperate plea to fund Jamie’s paralysis recovery
Twenty-one-year-old has been ‘shutting down’ since her horse died
A young Tayvallich woman has suffered speech loss and paralysis of all her limbs, but can get no help from the NHS.
Now 21-year-old Jamie Buckley has turned to her local community for help to treat the neurological disorder that has so badly impacted her life.
After dealing for years with the challenges of living with autism, Jamie’s health plummeted during lockdown and hit rock-bottom when her beloved horse died.
Jamie’s mum Jenny explained: ‘Jamie has been shutting down since her horse Cameron died two years ago. She stopped talking two weeks after he passed and she hasn’t spoken since.
‘Her mental health slid, seizures returned and her increased level of sensitivity to noise was off the scale.
‘In September 2021, following a seizure, Jamie lost the mobility of her legs, and her feet went into an abnormal position causing constant pain.
‘Over the next week she lost the mobility in both her arms and hands with them all going into abnormal fixed positions. The muscles are permanently contracted holding the limbs rigid.’
Jamie was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND), a brain disorder that can encompass a diverse range of neurological symptoms including sensory issues, seizures and paralysis.
The Buckley family left no stone unturned in trying to find help for Jamie, however, they have repeatedly hit dead-ends in their search for treatment.
Jenny explained: ‘The local medical team have done everything within their powers to try and get Jamie help, and have supported Jamie and ourselves throughout this process, but there is little else they can do as this complex condition needs a specialist treatment team which isn’t something a rural area has provision for.’
Jamie was referred for inpatient rehab in the neurological ward in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow, but this did not come to fruition.
Jenny added: ‘An inpatient, multidisciplinary approach is the most successful treatment for FND, but in December the QEUH announced it was cutting the funding for inpatient rehab for FND and said treatment should take place in the community of the patient from their local neurological team, but Argyll and Bute does not have a neurological team.’
Jamie’s family has managed to find professionals who can treat her privately in Glasgow and Edinburgh and this has quickly shown encouraging results.
Jenny said: ‘Jamie has only had one treatment, and that was a month ago, from a neuro physio who specialises in FND.
‘The local medical team have done everything in their power to try and get Jamie help... but this complex condition needs a specialist team...’
‘The results from the physiotherapy were instant, after waiting eight months with no one doing anything, Jamie is now able to sometimes hold her spoon and feed herself with one arm.
‘But, of course, the treatment is expensive and we have the added cost of having to pay for accommodation, fuel and food etc while we are away from home for Jamie’s treatment.’
Jenny is no longer able to work as she is Jamie’s full-time carer, but family and friends have helped out financially.
‘My mum turned 80 in February and asked her friends to give donations towards Jamie’s recovery, rather than gifts – she raised more than £1,000 which was overwhelming, but that money has now run out,’ Jenny explained.
‘Lochgilphead’s MS centre has also kindly donated a generous amount towards Jamie’s treatment, but we’ve estimated we need about £15,000, and I do suspect it will be more than this, and it’s money we just don’t have.’
For years Jamie raised a staggering amount of money for charities such as the RNLI, the Dochas Centre, the MS centre and Argyll Animal Aid through selling her own baking. Now she, who has worked tirelessly for others since she was a child, is in desperate need of funding.
Jenny said: ‘My sister has set up a JustGiving page that has raised an incredible £4,500 in just one week.
‘I have friends and family also doing sponsored walks, runs and holding plant sales. People’s kindness and generosity has been overwhelming, especially when we are living in such hard financial times.’
The MS centre in
Lochgilphead is holding a fundraising cake stall called Jamie’s Charity Box on Tour on Wednesday June 8 in aid of Jamie’s appeal.
The local support for Jamie has been crucial as Jenny explained: ‘A few months after Jamie’s diagnosis the Dochas Centre, Mid Argyll Youth Development Services and the MS centre all contributed to buy Jamie an off-road three-wheeler adult pushchair to allow Jamie access to the ponies in their field, which had such a positive effect on her.’
Jamie has also had personal messages of inspirational support from celebrities in the sporting world, including paralympian and environmentalist Ade Adepitan and Scotland rugby prop Zander Fagerson, as well as from members of the Scotland women’s rugby team. These messages were arranged by close friends to help give Jamie the drive and motivation she needs to get better.
Donations to help Jamie’s recovery can be made on her aunt, Cath Shaw’s JustGiving page www.justgiving. com/crowdfunding/catherine-shaw-5?utm_term=eBx2wEya3