Cash boost for Fife woman’s fundraising drive to pay for medical treatment

From left: Wullie Sommerville Past Master, Jordan Clarke, R W M Bro Alan Moore, Shelly Friel, James Clark and Ollie. Pic: Fife Photo Agency.

A fundraising drive to help pay for treatment for a Kirkcaldy woman’s painful medical condition has been given a boost thanks to Freemasons in Dysart.

Members of Lodge Wemyss 777 held a charity night in the Masonic Hall in West Quality Street recently where they raised an incredible £1300.

And they chose to donate the money to Shelly Friel who has been fundraising to pay for private treatment for two operations in Germany next year.

The Kirkcaldy dental nurse has a condition called lipoedema, which causes abnormal deposits of fat cells around the limbs.

As well as causing pain and discomfort, it has also affected the 31-year-old’s confidence.

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Shelly said her symptoms are not severe enough to be able to have NHS treatment but her condition has deteriorated since she had her baby boy Ollie last year.

She wants to have surgery now before her condition gets any worse.

She said: “I first noticed it in my lower legs when I was going through puberty. I noticed one of my ankles looked quite swollen and I would bruise really easily.

“So I knew something was wrong and over the years it just got worse, particularly after my son was born.”

It is not known what causes the condition, however it is thought to be affected by hormones.

Shelly is planning to travel to Germany next year for the operations and the cost will be just over £10,000. While they won’t cure the condition, Shelly is hoping it will help her control her lipoedema better.

RWM Bro Alan Moore from Lodge Wemyss 777 said they held a fundraising night recently in the Masonic Hall where they had a raffle, buffet and band No1 Sun.

He said they also wrote to other lodges in the Provincial Grand Lodge of Fife and Kinross which have been sending in donations. Alan said with Shelly’s fiancee James Clark joining the lodge, the members felt they wanted to help.

James also took part in a fundraising sky dive with his mum Jessie at Fife Airport last month which gave the drive a £3000 boost.

Shelly, who has organised another fundraising night at the Masonic Hall at the end of this month, added: “I am over the moon with the funding.”