Eschol Park Mother’s push to aid sick daughter, raise funds for urgent surgery

A   MOTHER’S love is the driving force behind a fundraising campaign, which aims to pay for life-changing surgery.

Leesa Cash (44 years old) is raising money for her daughter who needs urgent surgery for a rare condition that affects the optic nerves in her eyes. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

A   MOTHER’S love is the driving force behind a fundraising campaign, which aims to pay for life-changing surgery.

Eschol Park resident Leesa Cash, 44, is heading a GoFundMe campaign to help her daughter Nicole, 25, who has been diagnosed with chiari malformation 1 and bilateral papilledema.

The rare condition affects Nicole’s optic nerves.

It has left her hospitalised and suffering from partial blindness, severe headaches, seizures, vomiting, slurred speech and hearing loss.

Thankfully, Nicole has received the news that she can receive surgery this month at either Macquarie University Hospital or the Prince of Wales Hospital at Randwick, and her mother now hopes to raise $20,000 to help cover the medical costs.

Nicole Cash needs about $20,000 for the surgery.

“Nicole was born in Campbelltown but has been living in Brisbane with four kids of her own,” Mrs Cash said.

“She was hospitalised at Princess Alexandra Hospital but she has to come back to Sydney to get the best care.

“The doctors are worried about her eyesight and the longer we wait the worse it gets, so we are racing against the clock on this one. We are reaching out and asking for help to ensure Nicole can have the best treatment available so she can get on with her life pain free.”

Nicole has been unable to work due to her condition, but thanks to the generosity of community members, the family has raised over $5000 in less than a month.

The campaign is now trending on the GoFundMe site. More than 50 people have made a donation.

To donate, visit gofundme.com/zmy5rs-chiari-malformation