Mend my Mum: Warwick girl’s plea for cancer-stricken parent

I’d just finished my uni exams, buzzing to get home for summer.

As much as I love ‘uni lyf’ there is nothing better than being at home. Mum had been a bit poorly over the last few weeks while I was at uni. She went for a few scans, but we all thought it was nothing.

The doctors did find a lump. They thought it was an infection in her bellybutton and put her on antibiotics, basically telling her to man up.

But the pains persisted.

After more scans and more tests we found out she had cancer.

That’s not the worst news is it? You hear success stories about cancer patients all the time! We all thought she’d be fine.

Still, I will never forget the day Mum told me. She came back from the hospital and I could tell something was wrong, that she was holding something from us. I went into the living room after tea and asked her what she’d found out. She broke down. What I went through then is something I would never wish on anyone.

Seeing someone that you hold in such a strong light, now so distraught and helpless is truly heart-breaking. She told me that the cancer she had was incurable, that it would never go away. It was already Stage 4 and had spread from the gallbladder into the stomach and stomach lining.

To be treated, Bernie must receive drugs in the US as they are unavailable in the UK.

You hear horror stories like this all the time but you think your own family is untouchable. My family are so strong, my Mum is such a hero, how could this possibly be happening?

The average survival time for my Mum’s type of cancer is about 6 months. Fewer than 10% of people with Stage 3 or 4 gallbladder cancer will live for at least 5 years. NHS drugs can only do so much but there is a successful treatment in the US which could make that time so very much longer.

The drugs she requires are regularly and effectively used in the States to treat this. In the UK only palliative care is offered for the cancer. The cost of these drugs is £100,000 for a 6 month treatment.

This isn’t money that we can find easily. My family and friends are doing all they can to raise funds, but there is only so much they can give.

Bernie needs £100,000 for her treatment in the States

Cancer takes away so many amazing people from our lives. My Mum is such a kind, special person and we want her with us for a lot longer. We really need help from people like you to make this happen. Every single pound makes a difference.

Here is a link to our donation page. Even just sharing the page will help us raise awareness.

Please click it for my Mum.