Help Roma recover after major spinal surgery

Aim

This single mama was hospitalised, spine rebuilt by surgery. Back her brilliant workshops at a discount (below) and help her rise again.

(Scroll down for story). First I want you to see the workshops on offer as a thank you for your contribution:

Perks

In true Roma style, she would love to offer you something in return! As she recovers and returns to work, she will be running a number of online workshops (provisional dates and workshop details below)!

- Donate £20 to redeem your donation as a discount on any of these sessions.
- Donate £40 for a free place on the half-day workshop.
- Donate £70 for a free place on one of the full-day workshops.

These workshops are a reflection of the work Roma cares deeply about; supporting individuals, relationships, parents and families with insight, warmth and practical tools.

You will be emailed with a booking link after the Crowdfunder closes to select the workshop of your choice so no need to do anything now other than donate!

If it’s not something you would personally use, you’re very welcome to gift your place to someone else who might benefit.

This is simply a small gesture of appreciation for your support at a time when it truly matters.

The workshops she will be offering are as follows:

When Conflict Hijacks the Body: Skills for Everyday Repair 

3 hours online - (usual price £60), Weds 10th June

Understand the biology of conflict and how it impacts reactions, communication and connection. You’ll leave with realistic, in-the-moment strategies to calm escalation and repair relationships more effectively.

No More Good Girl! - Reclaiming the Female Nervous System

6 hours online - (usual price £120), Sunday 14th June

Many women have been taught to override their instincts in order to keep the peace. This session helps you recognise those patterns in your body and begin to reclaim a sense of safety, freedom, minx-like joy and self-trust!

The All-Well Factor - How Safety is Created in Intimate and Family Life

6 hours online (usual price £120) Saturday 11th July

Learn how safety is built through tone, co-regulating routines and response to conflict in intimate relationships and family life. You’ll come away with realistic ways to reduce tension, increase cooperation, and create a more settled home environment with your kids, partner and relations.

Roma… What happened?!

7 weeks ago Roma's life took a sharp and deeply challenging turn. After months of crawling around sobbing and begging, ice packs 24/7, crying through self-enforced daily walks, taking strong pain meds that only allowed 2hrs sleep and repeated all night A&E visits she ended up admitted to hospital with neurological bladder and bowel issues unable to turn / sit / stand and developing a bed-sore from only being able to lie still on her right for a month.

Thankfully last week she underwent major spinal surgery. It was not a “nip in and out” manoeuvre, but a three-hour high-risk operation. Surgeons made a four-inch incision, sawed out part of the vertebra to access the area, moved the spinal cord aside to reach the damaged disc, removed a significant section of the warped, fibrous disc material, then reconstructed the bones!

We are so grateful that the NHS did this life-changing surgery. The relief has been dramatic, even immediately. She has also had the healing experience of feeling profoundly cared for by the incredible nursing staff: toileting her, bed-washing her, changing her sheets from underneath her and the one dedicated nurse who borrowed a special contraption from the ICU to wash her hair.

The challenge now is recovery.

Weeks immobile in a hospital bed, combined with the nerve damage itself, have left Roma’s left leg and much of her left side significantly wasted and weakened. She is dealing with neurological symptoms, muscle loss, pain, reduced mobility and the slow, humbling work of rebuilding strength and trust in her body. She’s practising walking a few minutes each day with either a zimmerframe or like a tottering 1-year-old!

To make recovery more complex, Roma already has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, so standard “graduated exercise” rehabilitation can backfire badly. The NHS have said she needs a specialist private physio, as this level of complexity is beyond their remit.

The good news is that mentally she seems very much herself again. Her mind is clearing after the intensity and opiate-haze, she is eager to return to seeing her children and supporting clients. She’s started being funny again. She wants to rebuild thoroughly and effectively and get well once and for all after years of her health holding her back from a full life.

The awkward reality is that her brain is ready before her legs are.

Roma is self-employed and has had to cancel around seven weeks of client work while basic business costs continued in the background.

Funds raised will help with:

## • Chronic-fatigue and musculoskeletal-informed physiotherapy support/hydrotherapy

## • 1:1 Pilates / reformer sessions to safely rebuild core strength to prevent issues reoccurring

## • Treatment for the Mast Cell flare up that was triggered by the general anaesthetic

## • Ergonomic furniture and equipment so she can sit, work and recover safely

## • Car seat adaptation to avoid unnecessary disc pressure

## • Practical recovery support (massage / bodywork where appropriate)

## • Essential business overheads during time off work including University/professional training expenses so her health crisis doesn’t derail this year’s work

Why this matters

Roma supports families and parents through difficult times and many clients were mid-process when this happened. She cares deeply about getting back to them in a sustainable, healthy way.

She also wants something beautifully ordinary: to move freely, parent fully, work well and live a normal life again.

Her goal is not simply to survive this surgery but to heal properly and fully.

(Last pic of Roma in full wellness in 2018):

If you’d like to help: Any donation, large or small, would make a real difference. If donating isn’t possible, sharing this page helps hugely. Thank you for helping to turn a frightening chapter into a powerful recovery.

With love and gratitude,

Roma’s sister V xx

This project successfully funded on 14th May 2026