87 - Orthodontist treatment - July 2022

This week your wonderful donations allowed us to pay £140 orthodontic dental fees for a young woman who is currently living in a Sheffield women’s refuge, after fleeing Domestic Abuse. She has come to the UK on a spouse visa and has since had to escape from the domestic violence she was subjected to. She had orthodontic braces fitted in her country of origin, before her relocation here, but it had been more than five months since she had them checked and she was suffering increasing problems with them e.g., bleeding, constant pain etc. She has been struggling to get a dentist in Sheffield as they are not taking new patients. She was quoted totally unaffordable prices to be seen privately. Eventually with a lot of hard work and persistence, the refuge helped her find a dentist. The cost of the treatment to have her braces removed and be fitted for a retainer was £140, which we have happily paid. At present this young lady has just started receiving Universal Credit- which is lower for under 25s, so these unexpected dental costs were a big concern for her. When this woman came to the refuge she was unable to get access to public funds due to her immigration status so she has been supported to access 3 months leave to remain here on the basis of Domestic Abuse, and she has a solicitor who will help her to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. She has sent us this message: “If it were not you I was not able to smile again”, thank you very much for the help with my Orthodontist cost, really appreciated. We are so grateful to the refuge for the incredible work they do supporting women - many like this lady, brought to the UK and then subjected to terrible abuses and forced to rebuild their life. As always we are humbled that with our donation we can help make her situation just a little bit better.

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