[Update] Dev’s life saving Indiegogo campaign successfully funds operation

Update: Indiegogo has taken Chloe Sagal’s crowdfunding campaign down for a second time just after it reached the $35,000 mark, and all contributions are being refunded.

A spokesperson told Develop: "Indiegogo has a proprietary and effective fraud algorithm and when suspicious activity is detected the campaign is immediately suspended and all contributors are refunded."

We have requested further clarification on why it has been suspended for a second time.

Original story: A crowdfunding campaign to pay for a life saving operation for indie developer Chloe Sagal has reached enough money to fund the surgery.

Called “I am going to survive”, the Indiegogo campaign was set up by the Homesick developer to raise funds to remove a piece of shrapnel from her body, causing life-threatening illness from metal poisoning.

Sagal said the shrapnel had made her prone to illness, weakness and involuntary twitching, and could one day result in permanent brain damage, or even death.

The metal poisoning was likely caused by a car crash from a “near fatal” car crash a few years ago, in which a piece of shrapnel may have been left behind unnoticed after a previous operation.

She said that due to stress from the illness and working to find funds for the operation, including game development part-time, she may now only have months to live if the shrapnel is not removed.

But after being refused in her claims for surgery by insurance companies, she has now raised more than $29,700 through her crowdfunding campaign, the cost of the operation.

Sagal is still looking for $35,000 however, to help keep her afloat during recovery, which is estimated to take two-to-three months as the remaining poisons leave her system. She added though that she is unsure whether there will still be any long-term or permanent effects.

The Homesick developer is also looking at having another operation, which will cost upwards of $25,000, but she said that although this surgery is not vital for her survival, it “is vital to being able to live a normal life”.

She added that any extra proceeds beyond the cost of the surgery would go to charity.

Visit the campaign’s Indiegogo page for more information.