'Life is sometimes not fair' - Seriously ill Irish woman needs help to fund urgent treatment

A seriously ill Irish woman is seeking donations to help her access life-extending treatment. 

Thirty seven year old Diane Masterson is in end stage kidney failure, with one organ having failed completely and the other only functioning at 10% of capacity. 

That's according to a GoFundMe fundraiser, which states that without immediate treatment Diane is likely to be dead within five years if her condition does not improve to facilitate her eligibility of a kidney transplant. 

Currently, Diane is not a suitable candidate for transplant, as she requires more time to improve her situation with eight hours of dialysis per day seven days a week. 

This treatment is called Peritoneal Dialysis, which is a gentle form of dialysis performed at home by the patient themselves. 

Although she is a patient of both St James' Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin, her condition has become critical and the Peritoneal Dialysis, which must be commenced "immediately", is now the only suitable treatment option. 

Diane has reportedly contacted elected government leaders and ministers for help, however this has been "unsuccessful" as "they have not meaningfully engaged with her considering the urgent nature of her needs". 

Explaining her situation on the fundraiser, Diane stated, "We all have good days and bad days, but fundamentally hope that when the chips are down and our back is up against the wall that having been a contributing member of society that you will receive adequate support from those who can provide it. It is not a case of looking for a freebie, but basic humane support.

The fundraiser has raised over €8,000 in a few hours, however this is just below a tenth of the €100,000 fundraising goal. 

It's hoped this amount will assist Diane for approximately 5 years, if possible. 

The funds will go towards accessing suitable housing close to the hospitals, her GP, accessible services and amenities, and her support network. 

A two bedroom apartment is required due to her "complex needs", however due to the housing crisis her options are limited. 

A suitable apartment has been found costing an "eye-watering" €2760 per month. 

According to the fundraiser, if Diane cannot provide proof of affordability to the letting agent before Close of Business (COB) today (Wednesday July 24), she will have no suitable living arrangement and will not be able to proceed with starting treatment tomorrow. 

The fundraiser description reads, "Naturally Diane would prefer to keep her situation private and not have to set up this appeal but needs must. 

"Diane needs urgent assistance to build a financial fund to assist her to cover additional costs that now will occur with her home dialysis – this comprises additional rental expenses, increased electric bills and associated medical expenses which are not supported by the HSE."