In March 2019, Sal underwent surgery to remove a largecavernoma from the left side of her brain which had caused permanent damage to the area controlling her right leg. After 5 weeks of hospitalisation, neurorehabilitation and a great deal of support from friends and family, she gradually learnt to walk again.

Cavernomas are pretty rare and a typical one looks like araspberry. It's filled with blood that flows slowly through vessels that arelike "caverns". Only 1 in 620 people get them with only 1 in 400,000getting symptoms because they bleed. Sal unfortunately had a 'little bleeder' which was in danger of more catastrophically bursting and required removing, hence the brain surgery.

Whilst she has made a good recovery from her brain surgery and the cavernoma has been removed, Sal has been left with mobility difficulties and now walks with the aid of a stick and a functional electronic stimulation device. 

Information, research and knowledge about Cavernomas is hardto come by. Sal faced with a life changing diagnosis found the Cavernoma Alliance invaluable. They provide practical support, friendship and are a focus for clinicians to connect with patients and Sal was able to make decisions about brain surgery with an understanding of her condition. Without the support of the Cavernoma Alliance UK, Sal's recovery journey would have been much more challenging. The Cavernoma Alliance UK will be a life time source of information, support and advice for her and the fellow patients she has met since her diagnosis.

The Cavernoma Alliance UK is currently financially struggling and needs £30,000 to meet it's current commitments. Sally and Clare are hoping their wing walking and skydiving adventures will contribute to this. On August18th 2022 the intrepid duo will be undertaking a 15 000ft tandem skydive at Old Sarum, the highest available in the country! Not content with this, and both egging each other on, this will be followed by a wing walk at Compton Abbas Airfield in Dorset on September 3rd 2022. They are hoping to raise as much money as possible for the Cavernoma Alliance UK.

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