Good Morning Angels: After decades of pain, Kerry gets her hands and life back
Kerry McNamara (43) from Pretoria cannot work and lives with her parents.
BACKGROUND: Kerry has debilitating rheumatoid arthritis in her hands. She was diagnosed at age 17 and her condition has progressed so far that she can no longer work in the restaurant industry. Kerry, who also suffers from osteoporosis, loves to work with her hands (baking and bead work), but the swelling of her joints – thanks to the rheumatoid arthritis - has caused limb deformities which makes this impossible. Kerry currently receives a disability grant.
Thanks to LottoStar and Operation Healing Hands, Kerry’s life is about to dramatically change.
She will receive joint replacements on four fingers of her left hand. This will lead to increased mobility in her fingers, changing her status from disabled to able-bodied, and enabling her to live a normal life and earn an income again. Through OHH, Kerry’s surgery will take place on 30 June 2021 at Cure Day Hospital Erasmuskloof and the remaining costs of R18,000 will be covered by the LottoStar “How Lucky can you Get” donation. Thanks to the R215,000 raised for OHH during Lotto Stars' “How Lucky can you Get” competition on Jacaranda FM, Kerry is one of 35 patients - including 18 children - who will be receiving their life-changing procedures from Operation Healing Hands in the coming weeks.
REQUEST FOR: Kerry McNamara
REQUEST FROM: Dr Helene Basson from Operation Healing Hands
ANGEL: Maria Pavli from Lotto Star
SPONSORING: The Lotto Star “How Lucky can You Get” competition on Jacaranda FM raised R215,000 for Operation Healing Hands to perform life changing operations on people who cannot afford private hospital treatment. R18,000 of these funds will be used for Kerry’s life changing operation.
ORIGINAL REQUEST:
At only 43, Kerry McNamara’s rheumatoid arthritis has progressed so far that she can no longer work. Kerry, who also suffers from osteoporosis, loves to work with her hands, but the swelling of her joints – thanks to the rheumatoid arthritis - caused limb deformities which makes this impossible.
Kerry grew up in Pretoria, and lives with her parents. She was diagnosed at the age of 17 and before her illness progressed, she worked in the restaurant business – she loves cooking and baking.
Kerry is currently unemployed and receives a disability grant.
When her hands are better, she would love to bake, garden, and do bead work.
Her main hope is to design gadgets for people with rheumatoid arthritis and other problems, to help make them more independent.
Kerry is scheduled to receive joint replacements on four fingers of her left hand. Increased mobility in her fingers will once again enable Kerry to use her hands to do what she loves. Kerry’s surgery will take place on 30 June 2021 at Cure Day Hospital Erasmuskloof. An orthopaedic surgeon will perform the procedure free of charge, but there is still a cost of R18 000 for theatre time and consumables needed.