A bride-to-be with a "one in a million" condition that leaves her in agony is desperate to walk down the aisle pain free.
Amy Stewart, 27, has cleidocranial dysotosis (CCD), a birth defect that affects teeth and bones.
She was diagnosed with the condition shortly after birth, when it was discovered she had three rows of teeth, no collarbone and an open skull.
Now working in the emergency services and engaged to her beau Matthew, Amy is desperate to raise £38,000 for life-changing surgery so she can walk down the aisle pain-free in June 2023.
Amy, from Milton Keynes, is also concerned her condition might make it impossible for her to have children.
As well as battling CCD, she also lives with kyphoscoliosis, meaning her spine is curved to the side - which was made worse when she fell down the stairs in August 2020.
She said: "My spine is much weaker than most people, so when I fell down a flight of stairs not only did I fracture it, but my kyphoscoliosis has deteriorated rapidly, reducing my quality of life significantly."
For more of the news you care about straight to your inbox, sign up for one of our daily newsletters here
After seeing a private doctor, Amy claims she was offered a lifeline in the form of a spinal fusion which could be carried out as early as January 2022 - but it'll cost nearly £40,000.
Desperate for a solution, she's set up a GoFundMe page to try and raise the cash, which she says will change her life and help her start a family with Matthew.
She said: "The operation is a spinal fusion, in which two metal rods will be inserted down either side of my spine, which will be screwed through each vertebra to hold them in place.
"These then clamp the spine, providing massive support, straightening it, and meaning I won't be in pain all the time.
"A lot of the bad muscle will be cut away, which the specialist also thinks is causing much of the pain.
"He'll be moving my spine over my ribcage, where it's currently being squashed, so it will have room to move again and will be as it should be."
She added there currently isn't room inside her body for a baby to grow, so the operation could help her carry a child.
Amy has been through several operations throughout her life after being born with CCD, including having everal teeth removed.
She missed a lot of school and looked different to other kids because of her condition, which she says made her the target of bullying.
As she's got older, the torturous memories of being teased meant she tried to hide her condition from people.
However, she's not let it hold her back in following her career goals and finding love after meeting Matthew in 2017.
The pair moved in together in March 2020, before Matthew popped the question later that year. At the time, Amy was managing her condition well, and was even training to run the London Marathon.
But in August 2020, everything changed when she had a horror accident and fell down the stairs at her parents' house.
She said: "When I hit the bottom, I was in a lot of pain.
"Matt called an ambulance straight away and the paramedics put me on a stretcher, but I couldn't feel one of my legs.
"They were touching my feet and I couldn't feel it, so that was obviously terrifying.
"Then I was worried about what damage had been done to my back, because I know that my spine is more vulnerable than most people's."
She regained the feeling in her leg, but it brought unbearable pain that kept her awake at night.
"At night, I can, literally, be crying in agony," she said.
Although Amy is grateful to the NHS for her treatment over the years, she's not able to have this potentially game-changing operation unless she goes private.
She said: "I could have the surgery to straighten my spine as soon as January 2022, if I can raise the money.
"It takes a full year to properly recover, so I would be pain-free in time for my wedding."
She added: "When I have the surgery, I am going to start a blog, documenting my progress, so people can see where their money has gone. It will also, hopefully, help other people in the same situation as me.
"I can't put into words what this help and support means to me, but this operation, if I can have it, is going to completely change my life."
Do you have a real life story to share? Email jessica.taylor@reachplc.com
Matthew is also desperate to see his wife-to-be living a life free of pain.
He said: "She is the most incredible, giving person, and so deserving of every single bit of support and help that she is going to see.
"For her to actually be able to walk down the aisle on her dad's arm on our wedding day and be pain free is going to be the most incredible experience in both our lives."
To donate to Amy's GoFundMe, click here
