We urgently need to raise funds for lifesaving treatment. Thank you to our friend Jo for writing our story when I couldn't find the words. 

Imagine knowing you won’t see your children’s next birthday, or watch the wonder on their faces as they leave carrots out for Santa at Christmas. This is the stark reality facing mum of two, Michelle Noakes (formerly Williams). 

In August 2019 Michelle had her ultimate dream wedding to her wonderful husband Simon. They were surrounded by their friends and family, with their children there to take part in their amazing day. Only a few months later, their world would come crashing down.  

Michelle had started feeling some dizziness and tingling in her hands. In November 2019, she went to see her GP and was referred for an MRI. In a matter of hours, her mild discomfort was diagnosed with a Pontine Glioma - an aggressive and inoperable brain tumour. 

Since that fateful day, the NHS has worked tirelessly to treat Michelle with radiotherapy and chemotherapy but sadly her condition has not improved, and time is starting to run out. In 18 months she has gone from a happy and hardworking young mum of two living in Bow, East London, to a woman needing a wheelchair to get around and not being able to cook and care for her children. 

On her son Otto’s sixth birthday this year she was rushed into hospital and on mother’s day had emergency surgery to fit a shunt to relieve excess water causing pressure on her brain. An operation with a 1/20 chance of going wrong, but she came through fighting. The doctors said she had been around six hours from it being fatal.

There aren't many options left for Michelle and her family now - but there is one glimmer of hope on the horizon. A pioneering treatment available privately in Germany involving Dendritic Cell Vaccination (a type of immunotherapy) plus hyperthermia. This treatment may be her last hope of seeing her daughter Poppy turn four and to wish her luck on her first day at school.

Please help us get the treatment needed for Michelle and this family to remain one. Ask yourself how much would you put towards being able to see your child’s next birthday? Please dig deep, please spread the word, and please help. 

There are many people facing many challenges in the world today. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for giving whatever you can to keep this mum alive.

By donating to this personal fundraising account through the charity Yes to Life, all funds you donate will go towards Michelle's treatment and the charity can benefit from any Gift Aid. It's a win-win.

UPDATE: It's with a heavy heart that we share this update. Michelle sadly passed away on Saturday 26 June. She never stopped fighting but eventually slipped away very peacefully at home surrounded by her family. We always knew that the immunotherapy treatment would take time to reach peak effectiveness, and as it turns out, Michelle did not have that long.

We don't know how much extra time it gave her but we do know that it gave her and her family such an important sense of hope in a time that would have been otherwise very dark. Seeing the donations and messages of support come in gave her such a boost and made her feel very loved, so thank you all so much.