A WYEDEAN School student who suffers with constant regurgitation is fighting to raise £7,000 for a crucial operation.

Kate Connolly, 17, is living with a condition called chronic gastro-oesophaegeal reflux disease (GORD). The disease is debilitating and makes the typically pleasurable experience of eating become a source of pain and embarrassment for the teenager.

The A-level student struggles with constant upper stomach pain and can regurgitate more than 100 times a day. Eating away from home also becomes difficult because of the condition.

At night, Kate can have spasms of the oesophagus making breathing difficult. She is unable to lay flat at night as it makes her sick and she has to sleep sitting up.

Despite the impact the disease has on her everyday life, she is described by her parents Michael and Tracy Connolly as someone who is always smiling no matter how bad she feels.

Kate is in need of a procedure known as the Stretta, which is a minimally invasive procedure and should free the teenager from her symptoms.

The procedure takes less than 60 minutes and allows patients to return to normal activities the following day.

The Stretta system delivers radiofrequency energy to the muscle between the stomach and oesophagus. This results in an improved barrier function causing fewer reflux events.

Kate was referred to Great Ormond Street Hospital adolescent unit at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) where specialists recommended the Stretta system.

The Connolly family approached Gloucestershire NHS Trust who decided not to fund the procedure, despite it being offered at other NHS trusts around the country.

Mum Tracy Connolly said: “When Kate was diagnosed she had been ill for years and was up and down to see doctors and specialists. As she was a girl in her early teens and was always being sick, they believed she was trying to make herself sick which was difficult as she was actually ill.

“We changed doctors and went to see Dr Sharma who was brilliant, she went for tests and it turned out she had excess bile in her stomach. She had just turned 16 when she had the diagnosis.

Mrs Connolly continued: “Two hospitals in England fund the procedure on the NHS, one in Middlesbrough and the other in Liverpool.

“The procedure is fairly new and has only been around in this country privately for five years.

“Gloucestershire NHS don’t have anyone who is trained in the procedure. We’ve applied for funding for the operation and have been told ‘no’.”

The process has been a long one for the Connolly family. “It’s just been a battle”, Tracy added, “so we’ve decided to fund it ourselves.

“Kate needs to be fixed as she’s missed out on so much already.

“She’s desperate to go to university and without this procedure she won’t be able to go.”

A fundraising raffle for Kate will be held at Mount Ballan Horse Trials next Tuesday and Wednesday (17th to 18th May).

To donate to Kate’s fundraising efforts, visit: www.gofundme.com/2pm9vkg4