Mystery donor gifts £37k for life-changing op in America

A MYSTERY donor has stumped up a massive £37,000 for a 20-year-old from Bridgend to have life-altering surgery in America.

Jade Owen, from born with Cerebral affects all of her limbs.

She was left confined to a wheelchair, suffering chronic daily pain and needing help with simple tasks like washing and eating.

But now she’s set to head to the US for life-changing surgery that could mean she could walk again.

The operation called selective dorsal rhizotomy, known as SDR, is an operation used to improve muscle stiffness in cerebral palsy.

It is performed in the UK, but due to Jade’s age and mobility, the family were left with the only option being to fly to St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri to have the operation performed by Dr Park.

But she needed more than £60,000 to get there.

Now, five years after she started fundraising, an anonymous donor Brackla, was Palsy, which has given the family the funds for Jade to take the trip – but they can’t quite believe it.

Mum Jane, 41, said: “Fundraising had been very challenging. Someone anonymous saw Jade’s post and wanted to privately donate. It’s quite a lot of money - around £37,000 – the amount to do the operation.

“It means now Jade can go to America.

“It’s been really hard but it’s just a lift off our shoulders. Our family had been fundraising for a long time and it’s caused a lot of stress and anxiety.

“Now Jade is having life-changing surgery.”

But there’s one person they want to thank in particular - the unknown donor.

“We don’t know who it is,” Jane said. “We really want to know.

“We were celebrating because it was amazing news. I would like to say a massive thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Jade said: “I feel amazing. I’m still in shock about it. I keep thinking this is a dream.

“I wish I could meet the person who donated. I’m just so grateful and thankful.

“If they didn’t donate I don’t think I would ever make it.”

Now Jade is looking to achieve a new set of milestones after the surgery.

After the operation, Jade will have five weeks of intense therapy where she will have to retrain her body.

“I’m really excited and I’m not even nervous,” Jade said. “My mum always had this feeling when I was 21 I would be walking.

“I would also like to kick a football because my sister and brother are quite sporty.

“Now I want to help other people who are in the same situation as me with fundraising. I’ve always wanted to do musical theatre and I’ve also been accepted to do modelling. It’s very exciting.

“I would like to say a huge thank you because they are going to change my life for the better. I will be able to walk.”

Mum Jane added: “I’m very positive because this is going to be a massive life-changing operation. It all depends on Jade and I know she is very determined.

“I reckon she’s going to do very well. It’s going to be amazing.”