My Mum

My mum (Julie) was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer (Neuroendocrine tumour) in 2014, aged 50. Due to its location, the tumour is inoperable. This means she is living her life with cancer. She is currently well and working, and we hope to keep it that way. She has had various treatments, including chemotherapy (unsuccessful), and an operation to remove a small metastases (small secondary growth) from her lung. She then had PRRT treatment (a type of nuclear therapy) which was successful in reducing the size of the main tumour and other metastases. The cancer then remained stable for nearly 3 years. Sadly, in January 2018, scans showed that the cancer had spread to other places, therefore needing more treatment.

Treatment

In the meantime, the NHS has withdrawn funding for the PRRT treatment which was successful in my mum's case. This means that we must fund the treatment ourselves. The total cost for the drugs is an extortionate £42,000. Using the family's life savings and the kindness of relatives, we are able to raise a considerable portion of the costs ourselves. To complete all four stages of treatment that my mum needs, we need to raise the full amount. Unfortunately, the NHS in Wales do fund the treatment, but our NHS doesn’t. It is heartbreaking that the pharmaceutical companies can set the cost for their drugs so high, resulting in the NHS being unable to fund them.

Fundraising

We will do all we can to raise money. Me, my brother (Alex) and other friends and family are planning on doing car-boot sales, sponsored walks, cake sales and any other fundraising activities that we can. It is breaking our hearts that our mum, not only has the stress of living with cancer and its treatments, but now the stress of trying to raise £42,000. Cancer always seems to affect the best people. Any help that we can get in any way will be hugely appreciated, as well as any contributions. We will keep this page updated with our fundraising activities, so that you can all see how we are getting on with raising the money and with my mum's treatment.

Thank you all so much,

Katie and Alex xxx