Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

In May 2022, my sister Harriet aged 33, was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer with brain metastases. The type of lung cancer she has is ALK+. ALK + lung cancer is a type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in which there is an abnormal fusion of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene and another gene. This fusion causes cell enzymes (specialized proteins) to send signals to cells instructing them to divide and multiply more quickly than usual. ALK+ lung cancer is an acquired condition and it is not known exactly what triggers this.   The treatment that is currently available are drugs  called Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs), they're not a cure for lung cancer, but rather a treatment that works to shrink the tumours. We feel so lucky to have access to the TKIs, to allow my sister to live a ‘normal’ life. I want to raise awareness and money for further studies to go towards future development for treatment for ALK+.

Your help & support would mean the world to me and my family. ❤️