I don’t want to lose my sight - Woman seeks funding for retinal surgery

If Alicia Bramwell was given one wish, it would be to have a clean bill of health.

The 31-year-old, who has been struggling with various illnesses since her teenage years, is on the verge of completely losing her eyesight if she does not receive urgent corrective surgery. Bramwell suffers from retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from its underlying tissue, often due to ageing, injury, or extreme nearsightedness. This causes symptoms such as flashes, new floaters (shapes that appear in the field of vision), and a gray shadow affecting the person's vision.

"I can barely see out of my left eye and my right eye is beginning to detach as well. My vision is really going and I need surgery, especially for the left eye. I haven't got a full diagnosis on the right one, but the left one definitely needs surgery. I still have other ailments, but I don't want to lose my sight. I wasn't born this way. I don't want to lose my sight," she said.

Bramwell said that last June, she woke up to what appeared to be shadows in her vision.

"I put on my test glasses and I noticed the shadow was still there, so I went to an eye doctor, who said there was bleeding behind my eye. I was referred to Mandeville Hospital, where I was diagnosed with retinal detachment and [told that] surgery was needed," she said.

Bramwell said the operation is being offered by prominent ophthalmologist Dr Donovan Calder, but the surgery and other procedure costs approximately $3.5 million, a figure that is well beyond reach for the Manchester woman.

"I am appreciative of anyone who can offer any form of assistance. This figure is a hard one for me to reach. This would be the best New Year's gift anyone could offer. I have not been able to work for close to three years and I want to just get back out there and regain my independence," she said.

In addition to her visual issues, Bramwell suffers from ovarian cysts, hormonal imbalance, an enlarged kidney, and diabetes.

"I was always a sickly child growing up. From I was 13 I had type 1 diabetes and it wasn't easy for me. My weight used to fluctuate, and my eyes used to bother mi and I could barely see the board. It was just really rough," Bramwell said.

"The hormonal issues give me a lot of abdominal pain, and about two years now I don't have any hard stools; and most of the times, nothing keeps down. It's about three years now I don't work," she said.

Bramwell revealed that she wants to become a doctor and even started practical nursing school.

"But I didn't get to graduate as I missed two exams, as I was in the hospital. All of this sickness just holding me back," Bramwell added.

Persons wishing to assist Alicia Bramwell may donate to her GoFundMe account at https://gofund.me./247bc4614.