Nurse opts for crowdfunding to pay for her leg amputation

♦ An NHS nurse is hoping crowdfunding will help her get her leg amputated, amid claims that rising numbers of people are choosing to remove their limbs to avoid constant pain.

Lexi Chambers, 40, wants to raise £10,000 as she fears her operation might not be covered by the NHS. Ms Chambers, from Exeter, once a keen runner who competed in bodybuilding competitions, gave up work after surgery to correct four hammer toes left her in agony. She now wants a below-the-knee amputation, as wearing a prosthetic limb would be more comfortable and stop the persistent pain which she suffers. She will see a surgeon next month to find out if the NHS will fund the operation.

If not, she will have to raise the £10,000 required to have it done privately. A spokesman for the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are naturally keen for all patients to achieve the best possible clinical outcomes and quality of life.”