A WOMAN whose feet were amputated after she suffered meningitis is appealing for people to donate £20,000 so she can have prosthetics made in the shape of her friend’s limbs.
Charlene Colechin, 20, from Inkersall, Derbyshire, wants the prosthetics to be moulded in the shape of her pal Chloe Hone’s feet.
Charlene told the Mirror Online: “It would give me my freedom back because, for example, wearing trainers with a maxi dress is a big no-no for me. It’s basically like socks with sandals… just a big no.”
She told of her plight in a GoFundMe page to raise money for the limbs, explaining how she was struck down with meningococcal septicaemia in September 2006.
“From that date, my world/life got turned upside down,” she said. “I’ve had that many surgeries for all different aspects as the result of my illness I’ve lost count and I still have more reconstruction to go.
“I know I’m asking for A LOT of money but getting these prosthetics would be life-changing.”
She added: “The feet will help with my mobility and make it more comfortable for me to walk without being in pain after about 10 minutes.”
Charlene told how she had been “a lover of shoes since I was a child”.
“The feet will allow me and give me the freedom to be able to wear whatever shoes I desire,” she said.
“That luxury was snatched away from me because of a deadly illness.
“The leg covers will help with my confidence and make me feel like my old self again and have nice legs once more.”
What are the signs and symptoms of meningitis?
- Fever, cold hands and feet
- Vomiting
- Drowsy, difficult to wake
- Confusion and irritability
- Severe muscle pain
- Pale, blotchy skin
- Spots/rash
- Severe headache
- Stiff neck
She explained: “I’ll be able to wear a nice dress with heels without being paranoid about someone saying something or constantly staring at my legs.
“I’m 20 years old I don’t want to live the rest of my life with people shouting thing, saying things and staring every time I want to get my legs out.
“They will make me feel like a woman again and not a freak show that people point and gawp at.”
Previously Charlene appeared in The Sun where she spoke frankly about the reality of suffering from meningitis.
In October 2016, releasing images of herself in hospital, she wrote: “These are not nice photos but this is the reality of what meningitis can do.
“I had the worse type of meningitis you can get, don’t know how to say if so I’m not going to bother, but it’s bacterial what happening outside of my body was happening inside of my body poisoning my blood.”
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