Help Ellen Martin in her fight with CRPS

" I feel like my body is being burnt alive."

" Imagine feeling like your body is being set on fire while being electrocuted."

"I just want my life back."

"You've been diagnosed with the Suicide Disease."

Hello Everyone! My name is Ellen Martin; I am a 25-years old from Surrey, United Kingdom. I am a sports coach and keen football player having played for clubs such as Fulham, AFC Wimbledon, University of Birmingham, Aston Villa, MK Dons, Sutton Coldfield and Tamworth FC.

On 7th November 2021, while playing in a football match, I sustained a knee injury that tore the ligaments inside my knee... this meant I needed surgery and then 12 months of rehabilitation to return to playing football.

On 31st December, I had my knee surgery, and I began my rehabilitation process. HOWEVER, within six weeks of me starting physiotherapy, it became clear something was not right; my knee was extremely painful for the length of time that had passed since surgery. My knee and lower leg would change colour to either bright red or purple and be extremely hot or ice cold. Thankfully I have a brilliant physiotherapist who noticed these changes and referred me back to my surgeon for further testing to rule out damage within my knee.... how I wish this were the outcome now.

My MRI scans came back clear, which unfortunately meant the symptoms I was showing were the development of a condition called COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME (CRPS).

Instantly I turned to google to find out what CRPS was... and the result was the worst possible outcome I could have read. I immediately broke down, crying and screaming in tears.

Why I am making this fundraiser:

Through spending weeks and months researching anything possible to find a glimmer of hope with this condition, that doesn't involve a lifetime of medications that make the condition worse or spinal operations, neither which treat the problem and 'simply cover' symptoms, I was left terrified and deflated that no medical professional or internet page could take my pain away.

However, I eventually found some hope! A clinic in the USA that specialises in treating patients specifically with CRPS!!!!!!

THE SPERO CLINIC

The Spero Clinic, Arkansas, is a holistic medical treatment centre specifically designed to treat chronic neurological pain conditions. The Spero Clinic is a 12+ week intensive treatment programme designed to restore balance to the central nervous system with the outcome of reduced or complete removal of pain and increased mobility in CRPS patients. They treat the whole body as one, from the inside out - they believe that every human body is capable of healing if given the right tools.

They are the only place in the world successful in putting CRPS into remission, and hundreds of patients now live entirely pain-free and normal lives.

We are partnering with the Burning Limb Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, to help raise funds. We would be grateful if you could assist in any way in my fight.