Melanie Kennedy was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer in 2013. Since then, she has been through several harsh chemotherapy regimes, lost her hair TWICE , had a mastectomy and is currently in the position where the drug she needs to live is not available in Northern Ireland. Melanie's only chance to stay alive to bring up her two sons (16 and 5) is to get 'Kadcyla', a drug that is widely available in the UK, except Northern Ireland. Melanie has campaigned to help patients like her to get this drug and last year she took a petition to Stormont to get discussions going about this injustice. However, as we know, Stormont is in crisis and the likelihood of these lifeline drugs becoming available to help Melanie is slim.
Melanie has considered upping her family and moving to Scotland to get the drug she so desperately needs. And with no family or friends across the water, she will struggle with her two children, one with special needs. So I have convinced her to allow me to fundraise the £22,000 she needs to get the treatment here in Northern Ireland, privately. And believe me, she put up a fight! "What about everyone else who is in my boat? Who is going to help them?"
My answer, "You will. But you need to be well yourself first to be able to fight this fight on behalf of everyone else!"

So here I am, asking you to ditch your Friday night takeaway or your bottle of wine - or even your cappuccino and donate that money to Melanie Kennedy. She REALLY REALLY deserves it.

I have EVERY faith that people in Northern Ireland will help Melanie to live, not only for her two sons but to be able to fight to get these drugs for our people. 1 in 2 of us will get cancer, it could be you needing these drugs.

Thanks for reading, Leesa Harker x