A YOUNG woman from Farnham, who survived eight months of life-saving treatment in the USA last year for a rare connective tissue disorder, is fundraising for her return to America for more essential surgery.

Laura Sylvester, a 24-year-old former pupil of South Farnham School and alumni chorister with Farnham Youth Choir, was diagnosed in August 2014 with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome, an incurable and potentially fatal disease that causes the connective tissue throughout her body to be extremely stretchy and easily breakable.

Overall, her surgeries in the US last year were successful and for the first time in years allowed Laura to feel relief from chronic neurological symptoms; the greatest being having sensation restored to both legs and feet that has allowed her to re-learn to walk again which she thought would never be possible.

However, she is currently suffering from mini-strokes and pressure headaches which greatly concern her medical team so she is travelling to the USA for a specialised CT angiogram at the University of Virginia on April 11, to investigate the causes of these symptoms.

Following that, she will need further pioneering EDS surgery including brain stent, lumbar puncture and lumbar shunt surgeries to reduce the high fluid pressure in her brain.

If she does not have these surgeries, the high pressures will cause her to suffer permanent brain and neurological damage.

In an effort to raise the £100,000 needed to pay for the surgeries and associated costs, family friends have set up an event called ‘Gig for Laura’ on Saturday, April 1 at the British Legion Hall in Elstead. Tickets will be £12 on the door or to buy advanced tickets visit Laura’s Youcaring site www.youcaring.com/laura-sylvester-483048 and pay by donating £12 quoting ’Gig for Laura Tickets’ in the message box. Donations are also welcomed from anyone unable to make the gig.

Despite her challenges, Laura is a committed advocate of increasing both awareness and education in EDS.

Laura has just been appointed ‘education advisor’ to The Ehlers- Danlos Society (International) and was recently a contributing speaker at the ‘Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation’ Night of Light Gala in Washington DC.

Her blog, ‘Mind, Body and EDS’ (www.mindbodyeds.me) tells the story about her journey and offers other patients support and information on how to improve life with EDS.

Laura is also still focussed and determined on finishing her masters degree in petroleum geoscience at Imperial College London.