A Kilmarnock dad has been told he could be dead in less than six months after being refused a life-saving operation.
Heartbroken Kris Simpson, 32, has end-stage heart failure and all the NHS can offer is palliative care, despite a specialist saying he is suitable for a mechanical pump that could offer him a chance of survival.
The dad of two young girls has battled back after five strokes and two massive heart attacks caused by a rare autoimmune condition called antiphospholipid syndrome.
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He says the NHS decision has crushed his only hope of seeing daughters Bethany, five, and three-year-old Isla-Rose grow up.
Speaking to our sister paper, the Daily Record, Kris said: “Leaving them behind is my biggest fear. They are my world and my reason to keep fighting.
“I’m not going to give up when there’s a chance I might live. The girls know I’m sick but don’t know how bad things are.
“I’m only in my early 30s. I’m too young to die but I know I’m running out of time.
“The consultant told me on January 3 there’s nothing more they can do for me. A heart transplant won’t work and has been ruled out completely.
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“I felt numb with shock and burst into tears but I refused to accept that was the end and decided to seek a second opinion.”
Kris needs a left ventricular assisted device, which costs £80,000. The family are hoping NHS bosses will relent and offer him surgery.
Kris had surgery to put two stents into his arteries and then contracted MRSA. His body also turned toxic when he developed liver problems and kidney failure.
He also battled pneumonia and pleurisy and doctors never expected him to pull through.
But Kris’s fighting spirit has continued to amaze everyone and he is determined to raise the profile of antiphospholipid syndrome, also known as Hughes syndrome, which causes the immune system to produce abnormal antibodies.
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Kris is making the most of precious time with his girls and says not being able to take them on holiday or on days out is what he misses most.
“It’s robbed me of time with my daughters,” he said. “I want to take them to the park but I’m just not able. That’s what gets to me most of all. I cherish every second I spend with them.”
Dr Crawford McGuffie, joint medical director of NHS Ayrshire and Arran, said: “We cannot comment on individual concerns regarding care and treatment and would urge Mr Simpson to contact the board so that we can discuss his concerns.
“We have a referral pathway to the Golden Jubilee national hospital in Glasgow as the Scottish national advanced heart failure service for advanced heart therapy.
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“Any appropriate candidate is referred to them and a decision made about whether a candidate is appropriate for advanced therapies.”
The family have set up a fundraising page to help with the cost of Kris’s potentially life-saving treatment and it has so far raised more than £2400.
● Visit www.gofundme.com/appeal-for-kris-simpson if you would like to make a donation.
