German op only hope to save brave Tasha's hearing

Time is of the essence for 16-year-old Mullingar girl Natasha Dyer who needs to raise €22,000 in just six weeks if she is to have a vital operation in Germany which will save her hearing.Brave Natasha, a Loreto School Leaving Cert Student, is living with the genetic neurological condition Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) which causes tumours to grow all over her body.There is no way to cure or stop the tumours and Natasha will face many operations in the years ahead if the onslaught of the condition is to be stemmed.The tumour which is growing in her ear must be operated on immediately and it is hoped that if successful it will save her hearing for another three or four years.Natasha, who was diagnosed with the extremely rare condition in March last year, also has tumours in her brain and along the length of her spine but despite the pain that they cause, she manages to go to school just like any other 16-year-old with hopes of getting her qualifications.Doctors identified the condition after Natasha lost the power in her left arm in March 2009 and tests done Dublin's Beaumont hospital identified the problem as the neurological condition and NF2.Natasha managed to sit her Junior Cert before the tumour at the top of her spine became so big that it began to affect movement in her leg as well as her arm. While the tumour was removed, a further MRI scan in December 2009 showed that the tumour in her ear had also grown extensively and now needs to be removed or she will lose her hearing.Unfortunately, the laser operation needs to be done in a private hospital in Germany and cannot be performed here in Ireland.This week, Natasha's mum Christine, has begun the task of raising enough money to make sure that beloved daughter gets the treatment that she needs.Christine Dyer, who lives with her family at Grange Village, is a widow who relies on a pension as her income. She is appealing to anyone who can help her to raise the funds that she needs."I am asking for help as a mother to keep my child's life as normal as possible and to help keep her hearing for a few more years," she said."Natasha is a bright and beautiful child who lives her life with fun and has a heart full of hope and love for everyone that she comes in touch with. She takes each day as it comes and she enjoys her life with her friends and her school."They have told me that it will be between six and eight weeks before we know exactly where in Germany and when the operation will take place. That is a very short space of time and I want to be ready to go when the confirmation comes through."Fundraising events are being organised for the coming weeks and anyone who want to make a donation to Natasha's fund can contact Noel Clyne on 0867360115.