A YOUNG doctor who was badly maimed by a jealous ex-boyfriend in a horrific acid attack is in “good spirits” as she fights to return to the medical profession.

Rym Alaoui is battling to overcome terrible injuries to her face, neck, chest and arms and return to life as a doctor, The Argus understands. 

After seven surgeries, including skin grafts to her neck and chest and operations on her eye, specialist treatment is now needed to treat her injuries which turned out to be “more serious than expected”.

But despite the shocking attack, the junior doctor is fighting to return to normality and remains in “good spirits”.

The source said: “She is focusing on her recovery and she is very positive.

“She is trying to get well as soon as possible so she can resume her life and go back to work and her social life.

“She is focusing on her healing. You can’t imagine how much time she spends on that.

“Coming into hospitals, you can’t imagine how many financial problems they have now – just to provide her money to regain her life, as much as they can.”

Her ex-boyfriend Milad Rouf appeared at Lewes Crown Court in August and admitted carrying out the attack on the doorstep of her Brighton flat.

Rym ended her relationship with Rouf before moving to Brighton where she worked as a junior doctor at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

He knocked on her door in Steine Gardens at 4.20pm on May 20. He showed her a note before throwing acid in her face as she looked down to read it.

Rym was taken to the nearby Royal Sussex Hospital, where she was treated by colleagues.

Her family are now trying to raise £60,000 to afford expert care for her as she will need many more operations in the coming months.

Writing on Gofundme, Rym’s sister Alya Alaoui said: “Her injuries have turned out to be more serious than we expected at the time, and the full treatment, unfortunately, cannot be offered only by the NHS.

The Argus: Ex-boyfriend Milad Rouf appeared at Lewes Crown Court in August Ex-boyfriend Milad Rouf appeared at Lewes Crown Court in August

“Rym has suffered severe injuries to her face, neck, chest and arms. She’s still unable to see out of her right eye. Her doctors have said that she’ll need many more over the coming months and years. The cost of this all is estimated to be over £60,000. This includes a reconstruction of her neck, specialised laser therapy for scarring and surgical needling.

“I first opened this page on the day after the attack and closed it five days afterwards.

“We were incredibly thankful, as a family, for the £2,000 that was raised. We were hopeful that this would be sufficient.

“However, six months on, we have a clearer view of Rym’s current and future medical requirements which is why I am opening a donation page again.”

Rouf was sentenced to 11 years in custody with an extended sentence of another four years.

He will serve at least three quarters of the 11 years in custody before being release on licence.