Melanie Hartshorn from Cramlington, who has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, is now back from Barcelona after having life changing spinal surgery.

Melanie arrives back in the UK to start new life

A Cramlington woman has been told she needs MORE surgery to fuse her lower spine after a massive pioneering operation to stabilise her neck

“I need more major surgery on my spine”

ITV Tyne Tees has been to Barcelona to spend time with Melanie Hartshorn as she recovers from a major operation to fuse her neck and spine


After an operation to fuse her neck and spine in Barcelona, Melanie Hartshorn from Cramlington has been told she now needs more surgery.

Melanie Hartshorn from Cramlington raised more than £90,000 to pay for an operation to have her neck and skull fused together.

A young woman from Northumberland has been able to sit up in a wheelchair for the first time in years after surgery in Spain. 

Melanie Hartshorn needs an operation which will fuse the base of her skull to her spine, to prevent her from suffering fatal brain damage.

27 year-old Melanie Hartshorn has been told she could have surgery in Spain rather than the US massively reducing the cost of the op.

Melanie Hartshorn's spine is slowly crushing her skull due to a rare condition that causes her joints to dislocate. 