Fife MMA fighter Stevie Ray has revealed his daughter’s major operation was a success after a “golf ball-sized” part of her brain was removed.
Eight-year-old Myla, who suffers from a life-threatening form of epilepsy, underwent surgery last Wednesday to remove the part of her brain causing her seizures – sometimes dozens in a day.
It came after Stevie and his wife Natalie, from Kirkcaldy, raised more than £118,000 to cover the cost of her treatment, with high-profile figures such as UFC president Dana White donating.
Ahead of the surgery, former UFC competitor Stevie told The Courier about his fears that the procedure could go wrong – potentially leaving Myla paralysed.
But the athlete has now taken to social media to let his fans – who have followed Myla’s journey closely online – know that the operation went well.
‘Surgeons think the surgery went well’
Stevie, 33, said: “Myla has absolutely smashed her recovery so far. She got let home (on Friday).
“We saw the scar today – it is seven inches – but as big as it is, they’ve done a really nice job.
“She got her head shaved today so she wasn’t too happy when she saw that, but she is looking forward to getting a wig.
“It will take 12 weeks for the scar to heal and six months for her actual skull to heal.
“Myla is back to herself and seems happy and the surgeons think that the surgery went well.”
He says doctors at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh removed a “golf ball-sized” part of Myla’s brain, which they suspected was causing her seizures.
But it will be several months or years before it is known how effective the surgery has been at stopping her epileptic fits.
Stevie said: “(The surgeons) said that (the part of the brain they removed) did feel different to the rest of the brain.
“It felt and looked different (so) they are obviously really sure that was causing a lot of the problem.
“It is pretty much just a waiting game now.
“So far, so good – it looks like it has been successful.”
The dad-of-four added: “I want to just thank everybody who has supported her, Natalie and I.
“It has been a tough few months.”
Family offer to refund donations for Myla’s treatment
Stevie and Natalie had planned to use the money raised earlier this year for a private procedure, due to a wait on the NHS.
But soon after the fundraiser closed, the NHS offered to bring the date of Myla’s surgery forward from November to May.
It was decided that surgery on the NHS was best for Myla – and the family have since offered to refund everyone who contributed to the fundraiser.
The couple are also set to appear in BBC One’s documentary series Our Lives this week.
Featuring in the show’s first episode, My Husband the MMA Fighter, Stevie is expected to open up about his mental health struggles.
The show airs at 7.30pm on Friday on BBC One and iPlayer.
Stevie, who competes in the PFL, is currently at training camp in Bathgate as he prepares to compete in the second fight of the PFL Million Dollar Tournament next month.
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