A FAMILY is desperately trying to raise £90,000 to pay for their daughter’s neurosurgery abroad to treat her severe connective tissue disorder.

For the past three years, Ylena Lucy Green, 18, has been struggling with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), causing her to suffer painful dislocations in all her joints and affecting her digestive system.

The specialist treatment she needs is not available in the UK and neurosurgery in Spain or the US is Ylena’s only option.

Ylena’s parents Letitia and Martin Green, from Wivelsfield Green, Haywards Heath, are desperately trying to raise the money through children’s charity Just4children.

Mrs Green, 58, who cares full-time for Ylena, said: “Ylena tries to put on a brave face, but the heartbreak of seeing her in pain every day is very hard for us.

“Ylena getting this surgery can’t come soon enough, but we’re very hopeful that we’ll get the support she needs from the public.

“She really only gets out for essential hospital appointments.

“Moving is so painful that she needs to be lifted into her motorised wheelchair by her dad.

“Every trip wipes her out and she can’t wait to get back home.”

After years of worsening symptoms, an upright MRI scan revealed the cause of the extreme neck and back pain that has left her virtually bed-bound for the last several months.

The scans revealed severe cranial, neck and spinal instability, meaning her neck dislocates at the slightest movement and she is already starting to experience intermittent loss of feeling in her hands and legs.

If left untreated it could lead to paralysis and even death.

Mr Green, 58, said: “The success that Spanish surgeon Dr Gilet has achieved with similar cases at least gives us hope that Ylena will regain a decent level of function and it’s essential to have something positive to focus on.”

Ylena, who is feeling nervous about the treatment, said: “The thought of the operation is quite scary, but I’m hoping it will mean I can get back to doing some of the normal things I used to do.”

To donate towards Ylena’s treatment costs visit just4children.org/children-helped2017/helping-ylena-lucy.