Edinburgh woman's desperate bid to get treatment in the US after life 'ripped away'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
A young Edinburgh woman suffering from a devastating condition has launched a fundraiser to get her to the US for life-changing treatment.
Becca Finlay, from Gilmerton, was diagnosed with Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS) in 2019 while she was studying nursing at the University of Glasgow. The condition is a rare, gastrointestinal disorder that carries a staggering 33 per cent mortality rate if left untreated.
After years of surviving with a PEG-J feeding tube - a special tube that passes directly through her skin into her stomach and then into her small intestine - Becca is hoping she will be able to be cured through US treatment after years of struggling to eat, drink and move around her home.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, the 24-year-old said surgery is "her main focus" and she would do anything to get her life back.
She currently suffers from vomiting, nausea, stomach pain and bloating daily and was also forced to give up her studies due to her health. She was "robbed" of the ability to nourish herself properly.
Becca added: "When I was at university, I started having vomiting episodes and I kept going back to the doctors over a period of two years.
"I eventually had a test which showed the blockage in my bowel. I was taken into hospital within a few weeks and I got a feeding tube placed through my nose and into my small bowel.
Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community her eand get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
"When this all happened, I was studying to be a nurse and I had to drop out in my second year because I was deemed not fit to do it anymore. Food and drink couldn't get down so I was forced to vomit.
"There are days when I am confined to my bed due to the pain I am in. My weight fluctuates constantly too - one minute I am a healthy weight and the next I have lost two stone.
"I have been impacted mentally too because I don't like going out. I know that maybe sounds stupid but because I don't have easy access to a toilet, I don't like going out so it's restricted me seeing my friends."
When Becca was told of the condition, she was relieved to have an answer but she was "scared of what was to come".
Although there is surgery available in the UK, it's not specific to SMAS and it will not cure the condition. She is hoping to raise around £20,000 to £30,000 to get to the US.
She added: "I am not dying, I survive currently with a tube in my stomach that feeds me food overnight for 15 hours and that's how I get my nutrition.
"There are two doctors I know of that can shift the blockage away and take it out and it would completely cure me - I would be SMAS free.
"This is the main focus in my life - there is nothing more I want. I went from being a completely normal teenager to having my life ripped away.
"I would do anything to get my life back. I could go back to nursing, pursue my dream career, go back to hobbies - it would mean everything to me because I don't have a life now."
A message on the fundraiser reads: "Your support could help me access the vital surgery overseas that could save my life — and make a real difference in my day-to-day quality of life while I wait.
"Every donation, kind message, and share truly matters. Whether big or small, your generosity will help me fight for a future where my life isn't ruled by pain and fear. Please help me spread awareness of SMAS and give me a chance to reclaim my health, my independence, and my hope.
"From the bottom of my heart, thank you for standing with me."
You can donate to the fundraiser here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edinburgh Live
8 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh woman's desperate bid to get treatment in the US after life 'ripped away'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A young Edinburgh woman suffering from a devastating condition has launched a fundraiser to get her to the US for life-changing treatment. Becca Finlay, from Gilmerton, was diagnosed with Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS) in 2019 while she was studying nursing at the University of Glasgow. The condition is a rare, gastrointestinal disorder that carries a staggering 33 per cent mortality rate if left untreated. After years of surviving with a PEG-J feeding tube - a special tube that passes directly through her skin into her stomach and then into her small intestine - Becca is hoping she will be able to be cured through US treatment after years of struggling to eat, drink and move around her home. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, the 24-year-old said surgery is "her main focus" and she would do anything to get her life back. She currently suffers from vomiting, nausea, stomach pain and bloating daily and was also forced to give up her studies due to her health. She was "robbed" of the ability to nourish herself properly. Becca added: "When I was at university, I started having vomiting episodes and I kept going back to the doctors over a period of two years. "I eventually had a test which showed the blockage in my bowel. I was taken into hospital within a few weeks and I got a feeding tube placed through my nose and into my small bowel. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community her eand get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "When this all happened, I was studying to be a nurse and I had to drop out in my second year because I was deemed not fit to do it anymore. Food and drink couldn't get down so I was forced to vomit. "There are days when I am confined to my bed due to the pain I am in. My weight fluctuates constantly too - one minute I am a healthy weight and the next I have lost two stone. "I have been impacted mentally too because I don't like going out. I know that maybe sounds stupid but because I don't have easy access to a toilet, I don't like going out so it's restricted me seeing my friends." When Becca was told of the condition, she was relieved to have an answer but she was "scared of what was to come". Although there is surgery available in the UK, it's not specific to SMAS and it will not cure the condition. She is hoping to raise around £20,000 to £30,000 to get to the US. She added: "I am not dying, I survive currently with a tube in my stomach that feeds me food overnight for 15 hours and that's how I get my nutrition. "There are two doctors I know of that can shift the blockage away and take it out and it would completely cure me - I would be SMAS free. "This is the main focus in my life - there is nothing more I want. I went from being a completely normal teenager to having my life ripped away. "I would do anything to get my life back. I could go back to nursing, pursue my dream career, go back to hobbies - it would mean everything to me because I don't have a life now." A message on the fundraiser reads: "Your support could help me access the vital surgery overseas that could save my life — and make a real difference in my day-to-day quality of life while I wait. "Every donation, kind message, and share truly matters. Whether big or small, your generosity will help me fight for a future where my life isn't ruled by pain and fear. Please help me spread awareness of SMAS and give me a chance to reclaim my health, my independence, and my hope. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for standing with me." You can donate to the fundraiser here.
Daily Record
17 hours ago
- Daily Record
Scots mum left wheelchair-bound after 'toxic reaction to antibiotic'
"I'm limited, I can't the leave house by myself. I need a wheelchair to go outside." A fit and active Scots mum suffered a toxic reaction to an antibiotic leaving her unable to walk and wheelchair bound. Aneta Malachowska, 41, previously went to the gym five times a week and took an active role in her two children's lives. The mum-of-two, from Edinburgh, now relies on her husband to cook and take charge of childcare as she reels in the aftermath of the drug's rare side effects. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Anita spoke about the "devastating" impact the antibiotic had on her life. She said: "I'm limited, I can't the leave house by myself. I need a wheelchair to go outside." The fitness enthusiast underwent surgery for an abscess on one of her fallopian tubes in June 2024. Afterwards she was prescribed a fluoroquinolone antibiotic to treat inflammation that cropped up from the surgery - but she soon noticed irregularities in her health. Within days, a sensation emerged in her left left. It soon spread to her right leg and she began having difficulty walking. Aneta described the pain as "fireworks exploding in both my calfs". She said: "The pain was constant all day long, everyday. It was really difficult to walk and some days I couldn't walk more than 2000 steps." Aneta's condition continued to deteriorate in the following months. She tried to return to her work as a pharmacy technician, but her mobility was limited and she was experiencing extreme pain in both legs. Eventually, she became bound to a wheelchair, losing the ability to walk. The mum learned she had developed tendinopathy and muscle atrophy, noted side-effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. In 2023, the UK Government released a warning to healthcare professionals against prescribing fluoroquinolone antibiotics for "non-severe or self-limiting infections" due to "the risk of disabling and potentially long-lasting or irreversible side effects". Its use is recommended only when other antibiotics would be ineffective for treatment. Aneta constitutes one of the rare cases where fluoroquinolones resulted in disastrous side-effects. The mum - whose children are aged nine and 17 - spoke on the lasting impact the drug has had on her life a year on. She said: "I'm a mum and I can't do the stuff I used to do with my kids. We can't just go outside for a walk or go for run together because I'm mostly in the house. "It has impacted my life greatly because I'm not able to pick up my daughter from school, I can't do shopping anymore. My husband had to start doing all it himself and he still does. "I'm limited, I can't the leave house by myself. I need a wheelchair to go outside. I was very active before this happened. I went to the gym every day and went running on the weekends. It has massively impacted my life." Edinburgh Live spoke to Professor David Dockrell from the University of Edinburgh who studies infection and inflammation. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Although fluoroquinolones have been used for decades, the drugs are associated with musculoskeletal complications in rare cases, said Prof Dockrell. He said: 'The tendons can become inflamed. It can be difficult for tendons to heal and this can result in tendon ruptures and other problems. This has become more apparent over the years, although it remains a rare complication. "There are still times we need to prescribe [fluoroquinolones] when the benefit for a certain infection outweighs the potential risk. What we wouldn't do is routinely use them for everybody for common infections where there may be safer alternatives. And when there are safer alternatives, we would try to use those. Aneta has launched a fundraiser to help cover the cost her living expenses, treatments, supplements, and anti-inflammatory diet. If you would like to support her, you can do so here.
Daily Record
17 hours ago
- Daily Record
Miracle baby for Scots mum just months after finishing gruelling cancer treatment
"After treatment for cancer, I didn't even know if I'd be able to have another child" A young mum who found out she was pregnant with her miracle baby just months after finishing treatment for cancer. And Nikki Milligan, 31, was guest of honour at Cancer Research UK's Race for Life Pretty Muddy Edinburgh today. She joined her partner Jason McFarlane and their daughters Zoe, six, and Abbie, one, sounding the starter horn to send 1,500 people on a 5k mud-splattered obstacle course in The Meadows. Nikki was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, in January 2022. In December the year before, a lump appeared near Nikki's collar bone and she suffered symptoms including night sweats. She had an x-ray after blood tests indicated there may be an issue and only hours after the x-ray the GP called her. Nikki said: 'I thought the x-ray results would take around 10 days to come, so when my GP called me back the same day I knew the news wouldn't be good. 'They'd found a tumour on my neck and my chest. I had a biopsy on Christmas Eve, 2021. My daughter was only three at the time and going through Christmas waiting for those final January results was hard.' Nikki lost her long, dark hair to the side effects of treatment. She had six months of chemotherapy in total including two stays in hospital. But on August 18, 2022, she completed her final session. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Edinburgh Live reports that just months later, Nikki was overjoyed to discover she was pregnant again. Her younger daughter Abbie was born on December 26, 2023. She said: 'I feel so lucky. After treatment for cancer, I didn't even know if I'd be able to have another child but here we are blessed with our Boxing Day baby.' Nikki from Edinburgh picked up a well earned medal after completing Pretty Muddy with Claire Wight, a close friend from their school days together at Tynecastle High School. They were among the hundreds of competitors who helped to raise £160,000 for Cancer Research. Now organisers are sending a heartfelt message of thanks to everyone who put their best feet forward as well as their supporters. And they're appealing for people to make every step count by paying in sponsorship money as soon as possible. Since it began in 1994, more than 10 million people have taken part in Race for Life, contributing millions of pounds towards life-saving research. Race for Life events which take place across the country are open to all ages and abilities. It includes events everywhere from Aberdeen to Ayr, Falkirk to Fife, Edinburgh, Dundee, Stirling and Inverness. The money will enable scientists to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer - to bring about a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. Every year around 34,600 people are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland. Nikki said: 'I am incredibly grateful to be here to raise my two girls. It's hard to put in to words exactly how it feels to be healthy and surrounded by love. 'This summer will mark three years of me being in remission from cancer. I will forever be thankful to my family for their unwavering support and to the NHS for getting me better. 'I'm proud to be able to help others. I want to support research for people going through cancer right now and to help find better treatments for my daughters' generation.'
