WombTransplantUK.Org has now raised a total of £200,000 towards the cost of its two programmes of operations, thanks to the generosity of our many supporters.
The transplant operations and most of the pre and post-operative care of patients is carried out in NHS hospitals but the charity is paying for the cost of each operation and all our doctors and advisors give their time and expertise free of charge, as they have done for many years.
Professor Richard Smith, lead surgeon and the Chairman of WombTransplantUK.org, said he was delighted the charity had reached this milestone.
“We are so grateful to the many individuals and support groups who have helped us get this far. Apart from the transplant operations, or research has led to a number of exciting new treatments for serious conditions that affect the womb and many thousands of women have been treated as a result of our research over the years.”
“We have also modified aspects of the womb transplant operation. Our research in the past and now is always shared with the scientific community and much of our original work has contributed to the development of uterine transplant world-wide.”
“We have two series of operations to complete, five live donor ops and 10 where the donor will be brain dead and so we will still need to raise another £300,000 to pay for them. We don’t receive grants or Government financial support, as happens in other countries, so we very much hope your fund raising activities will continue.”
“Each transplant operation costs around £25,000 One in 5,000 females in this country is born without a viable womb and many more have severe conditions leading to a hysterectomy.
A last word from Professor Richard Smith, “The shocking truth is that there are currently more than 15,000 women of child bearing age in this country who have Absolute Uterine Factor Infertility. They were either born without a womb or have had a hysterectomy due to cancer or other abnormalities of the womb. Additionally, there are many women with a womb that is severely scarred, becoming dysfunctional, and they also fall into this category.
“Women with Absolute Uterine Factor Infertility are not able to carry their own child and our research is aimed at helping as many women with this condition as we can. So please help us help them. Thank you!”