Savemom

*** Why 1st October? · The trial is opening in Fab so starting and payment dates are being confirmed · We set 5 February as the deadline in case funds are required early F
Can/Will fundraising continue after 1st February ? · This depends on mum’s medical situation –currently her tumour has reduced in size but Drs predict that she will relapse and when she does they have told us her cancer will spread very quickly. We cannot predict when she will relapse but we can try and be as prepared as possible. When she relapses, we need the funds as quickly as possible because it takes 3 weeks to make the T-cells and timing is crucial so we don’t miss this life saving window. · We will continue fundraising until mum relapses so please note this may go over the initial February deadline ***

Cancer has taken a lot from mum but not her kindness. Even during the most intense chemo imaginable she never wanted to burden anyone. During overnight hospital stays mum would always avoid waking us, sometimes she’d put one of her own blankets over us if we looked cold, she’d save cookies for the grandkids from her hospital lunches and try to feed a hearty meal to anyone she met from extended family to the man that comes to check the electric meter.

Even though we were trying to look after her, she was always trying to look after everyone else! It’s taken a lot for her to ask others for help and we have never been very public about mum but this is our last resort. We have exhausted all other avenues, including requests for grants and compassionate care; all were denied because we are not US citizens. We wish we had more time to save the money ourselves but unfortunately time is not on our side.

In 2016 our lives were turned upside down when mum was diagnosed with a rare cancer, Double Hit Lymphoma (DHL), a highly aggressive, extremely fast growing cancer. It was a shock to the whole family, no-one thinks cancer is going to happen to someone they love. Due to the rarity of DHL, Drs were only able to advise my mum as best they could with what they thought might work. Mum endured some of the most challenging and intensive chemo regimes and her faith and strength has allowed her to survive the statistics for her cancer, but her cancer has returned in her lower back. Mum has no effective treatment options left in the UK. The Drs are treating the tumour with radiotherapy to buy her some time while we search for clinical trials. She has not lost hope or given up in finding a cure.

Thankfully, we have found a trial based on Car-T cell therapy from America available for DHL. In the trial, results have shown that 82% of patients in the same situation as mum have responded to the treatment – over half are completely clear and the remainder have an ongoing positive response. Our mum has been selected for an American trial, but we need your help to raise £430,000 to cover the medical cost by 1 February 2018, otherwise she will lose this life saving opportunity. Any amount you can donate, no matter how big or small will get us one step closer to saving our mothers life. Please get involved now and spread the word. We will be forever grateful.