Grimsby woman looks to U.S. doctors to get her life back

By Tristan Marks
NewsNow

Kayleigh Duggan wants her life back.

Up until November of last year, that life was fulfilling – the 20-year-old Grimsby woman worked, hung out with friends, took online classes at Portland Bible College and even held a pastoral internship at the Lakemount Worship Centre.

Her future could not have been brighter.

This all changed when the headaches began. Kayleigh started to suffer from debilitating head pains, and eventually other neurological symptoms began to present.

“She’s living in chronic pain and dizziness, and if she does too much of anything she gets a fever,” said Misty Duggan, Kayleigh’s mother.

After a number of tests, doctors pin-pointed the problem. A tumour was growing in the base of her brain, in the fourth ventricle, and this mass was not only affecting the nervous tissue around it, but it was also blocking off the flow of spinal fluid to and from her brain.

Although the tumour is in a position to cause much pain and could be life-threatening, doctors advised against surgery and for Kayleigh to simply “wait and see”.

Their reason was that the tumour appears to be benign, and the procedure Canadian doctors are allowed to offer is extremely dangerous with a 50 per cent risk of fatality.

As such, the neurosurgeons the Duggans went to for opinions all said that an operation should only proceed if Kayleigh’s tumour continues to grow and completely blocks off the fourth ventricle.

In the meantime, Kayleigh continues to suffer.

“My condition has been extremely frustrating to me,” said Kayleigh. “One of the most difficult things for me is that I can’t plan for my future because my pain is too great for both work and school with no end in sight. It is devastating to me that I can’t do the things that I love without excruciating pain.”

After some searching abroad, the family found a neurosurgeon in Pittsburgh who could perform what is called a ‘Suboccipital Craniotomy’ on Kayleigh. This cutting edge medical procedure would be much safer, with a 95 per cent prognosis for success and full recovery.

Finding this opportunity has been a source of great hope for Kayleigh.

“My surgery has made me feel hopeful because I can plan for my future again and that there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.

“I am not stuck in this state of wondering if I will be well enough to go back to work when I need to renew my medical leave, or if I will be healthy enough to go back to school. I am a little nervous about having brain surgery, but I am really excited to be well and do the things I love and fulfill me again!”

However, the issue now is cost. OHIP does not pay for surgeries outside of Canada, and Kayleigh is aiming to book the surgery for the first week of August. The family needs help, and fast.

The surgery and all the related expenses total $160,000 and $148,000 of this cost must be paid prior to booking it. Fortunately the Grimsby-based Sarah Tapley Foundation has offered to help spread the word and host a community fundraising drive for Kayleigh through its website. In just 11 days as of last Monday, the foundation has raised $102,000 from community donors.

“The support from our family, friends and community has been overwhelming,” said Misty.

“I never expected it to explode the way it did,” said Kayleigh. “It is overwhelming to me that people would give so that I could get the surgery I need to get better and to help me get my life back.”

Kayleigh added that, after her surgery, she hopes to return to working towards becoming a children’s pastor and returning to her job and internship.

Those wishing to help Kayleigh in her medical journey and getting her life back can donate through the Sarah Tapley Foundation website, sarahtapleyfoundation.com.