A harrowing scene from SBS’s Struggle Street showing a girl, 23, blowing bubbles on her steps to pass the time, has prompted an outpouring of emotion.
Melbourne woman Jessica lives with a rare and incurable disease called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type 6 which leaves her in constant pain.
‘It feels like knives stabbing into me,’ Jessica said.
Jessica also lives with autism, a moderate intellectual disability, scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis and intestinal failure.
Melbourne woman Jessica (pictured with her mother Michelle) lives with a rare and incurable disease called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type 6 which leaves her in constant pain
She revealed she was diagnosed with 34 different conditions in total.
Jessica’s mother Michelle, a single mother-of-two, was forced to quit her job as a pharmacy assistant to care for her daughter full-time.
Michelle and Jessica struggle to survive on their disability and carers pensions.
Sharing her story on a GoFundMe page, Jessica said she was unable to find proper treatment for her rare condition in Australia.
‘Doctors can make my life comfortable but to do that I need to travel to the only clinic that knows enough about my disease, in Baltimore, USA,’ she said.
‘Doctors in Australia do not know much about type 6 EDS and simply cannot help me.
‘This is my only option left to live a comfortable life, as I have tried many treatments here in Australia and none have worked.’
Jessica (pictured in hospital) also lives with autism, a moderate intellectual disability, scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis and intestinal failure
Michelle and Jessica struggle to survive on their disability and carers pensions
Jessica also revealed she would require a wheelchair van and hoist ‘as my condition will continue to deteriorate as I get older’
Jessica also revealed she would require a wheelchair van and hoist ‘as my condition will continue to deteriorate as I get older’.
The 23-year-old, who has a life expectancy of 40, said her mother was also struggling under the weight of her illnesses.
‘My mum is a single parent of two and it is hard financially for us,’ she said.
Her emotional mother revealed their situation was so dire, they were ‘looking at a pre-paid funeral’.
‘I don’t know when the time is going to come, but when it happens, I want to be able to go, I’m really glad the funeral is in place,’ she said.
‘It’s something I can’t stop thinking about… burying your child before yourself.’
Jessica also revealed she would require a wheelchair van and hoist ‘as my condition will continue to deteriorate as I get older’
Her emotional mother Michelle (pictured) revealed their situation was so dire, they were ‘looking at a pre-paid funeral’ for Jessica
Jessica and her mother created the GoFundMe page 19 months ago, in which time they raised $445 in donations.
Since their plight was aired on Struggle Street on Wednesday night, the GoFundMe page was overwhelmed with support.
Australians flocked to the charity page to donate money for Jessica and her poverty-stricken family.
The page reached $55,845 of its $60,000 goal on Thursday, with supporters donating small sums of money from $5 all the way up to $2,000 overnight.
Australians flocked to the charity page to donate money for Jessica and her poverty-stricken family (pictured together on SBS’ Struggle Street)