A WYEDEAN School pupil who suffers with constant regurgitation is one step closer to achieving her dream operation.

The Beacon reported last month about 17-year-old Kate Connolly who suffers with a condition called chronic gastro-oseophaegeal reflux disease (GORD).

The disease means that Kate struggles with constant upper stomach pain and can regurgitate more than 100 times a day.

Kate is in need of an operation known as 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 Connolly family approached Gloucestershire NHS Trust who decided not to fund the procedure, despite it being offered at some NHS trusts around the country.

Mr Marcus Reddy, a general surgeon at St Anthony’s Hospital in Surrey, picked up the story online and made the decision to waive the operation fees for Kate to have the operation.

The family are waiting eagerly to see if Kate will qualify to be considered for a case study patient.

If Kate gets the go-ahead, she will need to wait until she’s 18, but this means her goal of going to university will become a reality.

Kate’s mum Tracey said: “The fact that Mr Reddy has agreed to waive the fee is amazing and we’re really chuffed.

“We are so pleased and we can’t believe how kind people have been.”

“Wyedean School has been fantastic in fundraising and the raffle we held at the Mount Ballan Horse Trials went really well.”