- Katrina Brown, 30, was exposed to radioactive material in Basra
- Diagnosed with rare systemic sclerosis which is slowly attacking her organs
- She believes the illness is linked to exposure to depleted uranium
- Says her only hope is having stem-cell transplant to regenerate her organs
By
Anna Hodgekiss
07:47 EST, 3 April 2013
|
15:15 EST, 3 April 2013
Katrina Brown is suffering from a rare, deadly illness after being exposed to uranium while serving in Iraq
A soldier who developed a deadly illness after being exposed to uranium in Iraq is facing a race against time to raise the money she needs for potentially life-saving treatment.
Katrina Brown, 30, was exposed to radioactive material while serving as a medic at a 600-bed military clinic in Basra in 2003.
She was diagnosed with rare systemic sclerosis in 2008 which is slowly attacking her major organs – and will eventually lead to her death if left untreated.
Mrs Brown, who joined the Army at the age of 17, believes the illness is linked to exposure to depleted uranium.Â
She was handed a card before flying home from her 2003 tour warning her she had been in contact with radioactive materials.
She currently survives on 18 pills a day, costing over £3,000 a month.
Now, she believes her only hope is to have a stem-cell transplant in a bid to regenerate her organs.
But the procedure is not available on the NHS and the health service has said it cannot pay for her transatlantic care.
She is is now trying to find £110,000 to fly out for an operation in America after being turned down for funding by a host of charities.
Mrs Brown, who lives with her husband Martin in Gloucestershire, said she still holds on to the dream of returning to her Army career.
She said: ‘Since I was diagnosed,
everything’s been a battle – as well as battling the illness I’ve been
fighting to try and access the right treatment.
‘Now we’ve been offered
this ray of light but obviously we need help to raise the money.
‘I’ve lost about 90 per cent of my
mobility and the longer I live with the illness, the more I’m
deteriorating physically, but I know I can’t give up.’
Ms Brown was exposed to radioactive material while serving as a medic at a 600-bed military clinic in Basra in 2003.
She was diagnosed with rare systemic sclerosis, which is slowly attacking her major organs
‘We found out about this treatment in Chicago in November.
‘Since then, I’ve started to be dream a little and it’s given me such a lift to think about going back into the Army – and that I might have had my last Christmas not working.’
Mrs Brown believes she needs the immunotherapy treatment before the end of the year as her physical condition continues to decay.
‘I have to raise the money quickly or I will miss the
timescale,†she said. ‘You are supposed to have it done within four
years of diagnosis. I’m in my fourth year.’
The stem cell treatment involves effectively wiping out her immune system and ‘rebooting’ it.
She said: ‘It’s not the army’s fault. I was just doing my job. I just want to raise the money and get the treatment.’
If you wish to make a donation to Katrina’s medical care, please click here.
Â
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Our government spends thousands bringing a girl from Pakistan on a permenant basis (education, health, housing) but refuse to help a women who thought for them. Strange.
james shay
,
london,
03/4/2013 19:28
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So, the NHS finance managers will agree to fund breast implants for wannabee models and pay for all the consultations and procedures involved in fertility treatment, adding to the population, but won’t stretch to fund treatment for a servicewoman!! Disgraceful.
TEW_Bridgend
,
Bridgend, United Kingdom,
03/4/2013 19:25
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We paid for a girl who was shot in the head by Taliban why can’t the NHS or the Government pay for our own Armed Forces to be treated, this is disgusting, I am so glad I don’t serve in the Military anymore because these days I would tell them to stick it with the way they are being treated, prisoners, immigrants and non British people are treated and pandered to but our own men and women who fight for and serve this country are treated in the most dispicable way. People who fought in the first and second world wars probably wish they hadn’t bothered with the way this country is going!!
KLE71
,
Manchester,
03/4/2013 19:24
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It would be us who would be chewing on that Uranium if it were not for servicepeople like her. Give them the financial honour you would give yourself – Mr Prime Minister.
anon e-mouse again
,
One Horse Town, United Kingdom,
03/4/2013 19:23
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This women has put her life on the line for our country and we can do nothing for her? And yet a women can have her breast enlarged on the NHS because it makes her feel insecure?? I think this is utterly disgusting. What has the NHS come to! Where can we donate?
someonewhogivesadamn
,
surrey, United Kingdom,
03/4/2013 19:21
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If this poor woman is dying from the depleted Uranium, how many poor Iraqi, Afghan and Serbian people are also suffering?
The Truth
,
London,
03/4/2013 19:17
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Come on then Help for Heroes and all the other charities set up since the war in Afghanistan started, you have had absolutely millions donated( so much that you don’t know what to do with it, I’ve heard!) I am sure £110k would hardly put a dent in your coffers and after all, isn’t she a very worthy recipient of your help?
mel
,
Cadiz, Spain,
03/4/2013 19:12
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This is disgusting, give the poor woman the best treatment available and
the government should be funding it without question.
lorna hales
,
Macclesfield,
03/4/2013 19:11
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This is so wrong. The other week a ‘woman’ got a boob job at the NHS (tax payers’ expense); a single mother who divorced proclaimed that she will not look for a job because she is given £70,000 a year of tax payers’ money. SO WHY THE HELL CAN’T THE NHS HELP A SOLDIER WITH HER EXPESES WHEN IT WAS THE BRITISH GOVERNEMNT WHICH EXPOSED HER TO URANIUM.
Bobby
,
London,
03/4/2013 19:11
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Come on Cameron. Do something meaningful for a change. Step in and arrange the funding for her treatment.
madeiranlotuseater
,
Funchal,
03/4/2013 19:10
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