Hi, my name is Susan. I am fundraising to help my niece Kaitlin Frank with upcoming medical bills.

Kaitlin is 27 years old and a full-time student at Kean University.

She has worked at Crabs Claw in Lavallette for six years, but her current medical condition has forced her to go on disability.

My niece Kaitlin was born with a peripheral cataract and coloboma of the retina and iris in her left eye. This left her blind in that eye from birth. After spending 18 years navigating sports and academics with 50% vision, doctors discovered she had a partial coloboma in her right eye.

Two years ago, she was diagnosed with a chronic retinal detachment in her blind eye that the retina specialist didn't suggest repairing as the surgery could further impair her right eye vision.

In the past six months, the left eye has deteriorated, causing severe pain and swelling, leaving her eye closed shut due to a multitude of issues. After consulting with several specialists, it has been determined that it is a diseased, blind eye, and she needs an eye enucleation surgery ending with a prosthetic eye.

Luckily, Katie has health insurance which covers a small portion of the eye enucleation surgery.

Unfortunately, the prosthetic eye cost is entirely out of pocket and will need to be replaced every 3 to 5 years.

Any donated funds will help her cover the costs of her prosthetic eye and surgery.

Thank you in advance for any donation!