The family of a young woman have told how her 'life changed forever' when doctors made a heartbreaking discovery while treating her for injuries from a car crash.
Paige Myatt-Taylor, 25, was involved in a collision in the UK in February this year and was taken to hospital as a result.
There, she underwent an MRI scan which led to an 'unexpected discovery', as medics found there was a large tumour in her abdomen which she had previously been unaware of.
Paige then flew back to her home country of South Africa in April, to be close to her loved ones who could be 'by her side' while she underwent treatment.
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But she was then dealt another devastating blow as tests revealed that she had a desmoid tumour, which her aunt, Sara Didiza, explained are 'known for being aggressive and locally invasive' in a GoFundMe post.
According to the US' National Cancer Institute (NCI), these growths form from connective tissue, which means that they can appear anywhere in the body. However, it notes that they are most commonly found in the abdomen, shoulders, upper arms and thighs, while they also tend to affect women more than men.
Although desmoid tumours are not cancerous, the NCI explains that they can 'invade nearby tissue' and are often 'very painful' to live with.
Unfortunately, Paige has encountered some of these concerning complications, despite undergoing a 'high-risk' surgery in Johannesburg to remove the growth.
Her aunt Sara explained that after delivering the diagnosis, doctors told the 25-year-old that the desmoid tumour was 'already pressing on her vital organs' and that immediate surgery was the only solution.
Surgeons then successfully removed the mass, weighing 2kg, from her abdomen and were also forced to take out 60cm of Paige's small intestine too.
But five days after the operation, the former Royal Agricultural University student began to experience 'extreme discomfort', leading medics to perform a CT scan before deciding Paige needed to go back into surgery.
In a poignant post shared to GoFundMe, Sara explained: "That revealed something no one was prepared for: her remaining small intestine and part of her colon had become completely gangrenous.
"The surgeon had no choice but to remove her entire small intestine and part of her colon. This has rendered Paige fully reliant on Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) - a drip feed that bypasses the digestive system entirely."
TPN is an alternative method of supplying the body with the nutrition it needs when 'the gut does not work or is inaccessible', according to the NHS.
A small sterile tube - known as a PICC line or catheter - is inserted into a large vein near the heart, which a solution packed with vitamins, minerals, fats, protein, water and glucose is pumped through.
Paige's family say she now requires lifelong specialised treatment after the second surgery, while they hope she can undergo a 'highly technical' small intestine transplant in the UK.
"Specialists all agree that Paige is a good candidate for a small intestine transplant given that she is young, previously extremely healthy and fit," Sara said.
"Paige will be medically evacuated to the UK for the treatment and procedure. This medical journey will be long and costly and will require the support of her mum, Nicky, who will relocate from Kenya to take care of her daughter."
Paige's loved ones have launched a GoFundMe in the hopes of raising funds which can aid the 'incredibly brave' 25-year-old's road to recovery, which has already acquired £40,415 in donations.
"She has survived what many would not," Sara added. "We are asking for your help to give Paige the chance she so desperately deserves. Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference."
The aunt said this money will help cover accommodation and living costs in the UK for Paige and her mum, as well as long-term TPN support and transplant care.
To find out more about the fundraiser, click here.
Topics: Health, UK News, World News, GoFundMe
Olivia Burke