Appeal to help bring Wisbech man home to his family after brain surgery
Friends and family have launched a major fundraising effort to help a Wisbech man get the rehabilitation he needs after major brain surgery.
Nathan Wagg, 34, who was born and brought up in Wisbech but now lives with fiancée Lauren and their three girls: Poppy, one, Willow, three and four-year-old Ava in Murrow, is currently recovering in Addenbrooke's Hopsital in Cambridge following the seven hours of surgery earlier this month.
His friends Sam and Lucy Johnson are spearheading a campaign to raise at least £10,000 to provide five weeks of specialist rehabilitation for Nathan.
Sam explained Nathan, who is a title-winning amateur boxer, had been perfectly fine in the days leading up to December 1 when he collapsed with pain in his head and was rushed to hospital.
"It was all change from there," said Sam. "Nathan was told he had a bleed on the brain but they didn’t know what had caused it, eventually they found that Nathan had something called a AVM something that is so rare.
"Only 1% of the population have one, it’s something you are born with and until it ruptured you wouldn’t know you had one. Although he boxes the surgeons have said what has happened has nothing to do with the sport.
"An AVM is an abnormal connection between arteries and veins bypassing the capillary system. The AVM left Nathan with intense pain and bleeding in his brain. The operation, is believed to have been successful, although Nathan has not regained the feeling in his left side nor complete brain function. He is going to have to learn to walk again and he has lost his hand eye co-ordination.
"With specialist care and rehabilitation we hope Nathan will make a full recovery. The rehabilitation will be long and tough but Nathan is a fighter and has the love of his three daughters and amazing fiancé, who travels three hours every day to be with Nathan in hospital.
"We are told that Nathan will not be able to drive for at least 12 months, so this is going to be tough.
"We are raising money to get Nathan into a specialist rehabilitation centre where his success of a full recovery will be increased and hopefully the time-scale of recovery will be reduced and he can return home sooner to share the love of his family.
"We currently have a JustGiving page to raise money for Nathan. The support and generosity of his friends and relatives has been amazing. The link to the page is here.
"We will keep the fundraising going for as long as Nathan and his family need, with the initial target being £10,000. This will give him five weeks of specialist care. We have other fundraising ideas ongoing in the near future."
Nathan's youngest daughter, Poppy, was born with health problems which means she has to use a feeding tube and she is due to go to Great Ormond Street for a major operation at the London hospital at the end of March.
Sam added: "This all leaves an enormous load for Lauren, who is doing an amazing job looking after Nathan, the three children and trying to work at the same time.
"She is spending loads of money of petrol to get backwards and forwards to Addenbrooke's and it is costing £25 a day for parking on top, so it is incredibly stressful for the family.
"We know there are appeals all the time, but we really hope people will support Nathan and help him come home to his girls - it is going to be a long journey but with the right help he will make it."
