A Penryn woman who used to be the "life and soul of the party" was rendered housebound after a life-changing neck injury.

Carley Savage is now thousands of pounds in debt after two recent spinal surgeries that have improved her condition, although she remains disabled.

She suffers from Hypermobile Type Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a disorder which affects the strength of collagen, ligaments and tendons. Nineteen years ago she was in a car accident in which she suffered whiplash.

Because of her EDS, her neck was unable to fully heal and around five years ago she started experiencing serious neurological symptoms as her condition deteriorated.

She started choking on food, falling over as her balance was affected, the muscles in her neck would spasm "as if I was being strangled," and a host of other debilitating symptoms including reduced blood flow in the brain.

Carley said: "Everyone down here used to know me as bubbly, outgoing, the life and soul of the party.

"I've been stuck in my house and it was getting worse, I had no choice but to have the operations. It's embarrassing for people to see me like this, but it's something I have to acknowledge and deal with."

Carley says that "the NHS' understanding of the condition is in its infancy," and that specialist equipment to diagnose the condition, such as upright MRI machines, is not currently available outside of private healthcare.

She added: "I love the NHS, I've had many doctors help with the normal symptoms [of EDS], but it was a risky operation and they needed evidence that the benefits will outweigh the risks."

After her recent surgeries, she says that many of the most severe symptoms have gone.

"My neck's completely stable. I've got healing pain, but the pain from the neck being unstable has gone already."

"I am still disabled though, and it’s a difficult adjustment, as I’ve lost around 50 per cent of movement in the neck as it had to be permanently fused together at the top to stop further neurological damage."

The operations have burdened Carley and husband Terrell financially.

Carley has been unable to work for the last five year leaving taxi driver Terrell as the main provider.

They have had to downsize their house and are now living in a flat, which Carley admits has some benefits as she does not have to struggle with stairs.

She said: "It's just been really really tough. We were struggling and a friend suggested we started a fundraiser."

In one week, more than £2,000 has already been donated towards Carley's £21,520 goal.

She says that the money is needed not only to pay off the debt from the two surgeries, but also for future private post operative care such as specialist scans and rehabilitation.

"It's been a long struggle but these operations will hopefully give me a chance to get some sort of life back.

"I am overwhelmed by the support I’ve had from the local community so far, from complete strangers to people I grew up with and went to school with in the area," she said.

Carley has asked anyone who may be able to help organise fundraising events to get in touch with her via Facebook, as her mobility issues make it difficult for her.

Local businesses are also welcome to donate items that can be auctioned off.

For more on Carley's story and to donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/CareForCarley.