A Blair Atholl woman facing life-changing surgery due to a rare illness is fundraising for the Ninewells ward that has become her second home.
Kirsten Roper, 27, requires a ten hour operation to remove her bladder due to a condition called Fowler’s Syndrome.
The little-known disease causes urinary retention in women and medical experts do not yet know what causes it.
The Courier last year told how Kirsten was reliant on a walking stick due to the condition.
As the bladder becomes full, it causes pain and sufferers become aware of the need to urinate without the ability to pass urine.
Sadly St Johnstone fan Kirsten’s condition has significantly deteriorated since last year, leaving her mostly wheelchair-bound and facing lengthy surgery to completely remove her bladder.
She said: “I’m increasingly wheelchair bound due to the extreme pain and weakness. I can only leave the house with somebody alongside me now and only managed three Saints games all season, with a carer there to support me.
“The surgery I’m rapidly heading towards is a urostomy, which is a complete removal of the bladder. It would leave me with a stoma for the rest of my life.
“It’s likely to be necessary before the end of this year and it’s a massive ten hour operation followed by 6 to 12 months recovery.
“Fowler’s isn’t curable but the urostomy would hopefully improve my quality of life and eventually enable me to return to work.”
Through her online blog and contacting other sufferers via social media, Kirsten has been trying to raise awareness and help develop better treatment for the condition.
Now she has decided to go one step further and organise a fundraising evening for Ward 9 at Ninewells Hospital, the urology ward where she spends so much of her time
She continued: “It’s a bit of a running joke amongst my close family and friends that my local urology ward has become my ‘second home’ ever since my Fowler’s journey began. It’s something I can’t really argue with.
“I’ve been wanting to do a fundraiser for a while as I’m always so well looked after in Ward 9. The staff are amazing. They have infinite amounts of patience, kindness, understanding and care.”
Kirsten’s fundraising pub quiz and raffle is being held in The Abbotsford Bar, Perth, on Saturday May 28 at 7.30pm, £10 entry per team of four.
Teams can be booked in advance by emailing fightingfowlers@yahoo.com or anyone can pay at the door.
Kirsten’s blog can be read by visiting www.fightingfowlers.wordpress.com.
