Fighting Cancer with two young children

Stacey Withington started a six-year educational journey with a vision to inspire and help other people to become the best versions of themselves, to become confident and believe in themselves. Also, it helps people overcome their struggles in life by talking them through their problems and enabling them to use the tools that Stacey provided them within her counseling sessions.

Stacey found this to be second nature to her as she has been through some terribly difficult times herself. Stacey's adult education began at Bolton University, where she enrolled onto a criminological and forensic psychology degree course.

Since qualifying Stacey and a colleague have set her own counseling business up with a partner, they run positive psychology workshops and an online wellbeing boutique https://www.beyoutifulreflections.com/

During this degree, Stacey became pregnant, which was a blessing as she was told from a young age, that she wouldn’t be able to have children. During pregnancy, Stacey developed a condition called cholestasis which made her very poorly throughout the pregnancy.

Cholestasis is due to hormonal changes that affect the liver, producing toxins the body can’t get rid of. It also made her blood feel like it was on fire, and her skin was itchy all over and blistered and scared. Stacey barely slept; she was given medication to help with the side effects, but some of the symptoms persisted. Stacey became high risk along with the unborn baby.

Stacey fought the illness throughout her degree and pregnancy until the end. Due to Cholestasis, the birth was brought on early, as there was a high risk of stillbirth; during the planned induction, there was a medical emergency, the baby's heart rate started to drop, and the emergency button was pressed, and doctors came running in and had to intervene in the birth.

A healthy baby boy called Jamie was born, and Stacey spent a number of days in the hospital to recover. Two weeks later, Stacey went back to university and proceeded to get a first-class degree with honors.

During this time 6 years at University, Stacey has studied and worked a job and experienced a traumatic pregnancy and birth. There was no stopping her in her willingness and commitment, and dedication to helping others.

Stacey then decided to enrol at Bolton University again to complete her masters in positive psychology despite the difficulties of being in a global pandemic, most of the course was done via zoom.

During the university course, a special holiday was booked to Walt Disney World to celebrate the success in completing her degree as she was predicted to get a distinction and also wanted to surprise her little boy for his birthday.

During the latter end of the course Stacey became pregnant again with her second child which again was a miracle.

The holiday was moved to later in the year as the second child was due to when we were traveling to Disney.

Stacey started to become unwell early in pregnancy and Stacey had Cholestasis again, Stacey had this from 12 weeks which was very rare to develop it that early in pregnancy. Throughout the pregnancy, Stacey suffered from the same symptoms and it was decided by a consultant to be induced early again.

When being induced, Stacey had another medical emergency, shortly after her waters broke, an emergency ultrasound was needed and the baby was transverse during her contractions. The doctors rushed to do an emergency C-Section, during this Stacey’s heart rate went from averaging around 70’s going to a peak of 160 beats then she went unconscious.

Stacey had lost a lot of blood in the C-Section and had to have a blood transfusion and to go into Maternity’s intensive care. Stacey gave birth to a healthy girl called Sophia, although during the C-Section the new born baby had been accidentally cut on her bottom with the scalpel that needed stitches.

After a short stay in the hospital, Stacey was discharged, the baby was healthy and Stacey started to heal well from the major surgery. Stacey chose not to breastfeed and Sophia was bottle-fed.

A few weeks later, Stacey noticed that in one of her breasts, there was a lump and she didn’t think anything about it. Stacey thought that it must be pregnancy related like a blocked milk duct. Stacey was advised to get this checked out at the doctors. The doctor told Stacey on the phone, come straight to the doctors to be examined. The doctor then found a further two lumps, and put Stacey on an urgent referral to identify what they were.

Stacey had an ultrasound scan and a biopsy on the breast; around a week later, Stacey was invited back to the hospital to discuss the results, thinking a course of antibiotics would sort it out. Stacey was brought into a room, and minutes later, a consultant and a nurse came in, they told Stacey the devastating news she had cancer.

A 34-year-old mum who is normally a healthy person who looks after herself. It was shocking after just giving birth to be told she has got cancer. Stacey is now under the care of Christie's hospital and after a number of tests, it has been identified as Triple negative breast cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer is a relatively uncommon form of breast cancer that is rapid and more aggressive and harder to treat than other types of breast cancer.

It’s known as triple negative because it lacks three molecules called receptors. All other types of breast cancer have at least one of three receptors: the oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2).

These receptors are important for passing signals to cancer cells. For example, the hormone oestrogen stimulates the growth of some breast cancer cells through the oestrogen receptor. The cancer has spread to a lymph node and also to the left breast Stacey is due to start treatment in September.

The trip to Walt Disney world had to be cancelled due to the risk to Stacey’s health. Stacey is now off work and will not be receiving any sick pay due to being self-employed. She has requested help from the government who has stated that she is not entitled to any help. Stacey and her family are so worried that the coming months are going to be a financial struggle with the current climate especially with the price increases and the rise in energy bills.

Stacey has in the past raised money for various charities herself she's been in local newspapers she did a parachute jump the highest in Britain 15000 ft for a children's charity. Stacey has also worked at the Simeon center counseling people who are struggling. Also fort Alice for families experiencing and escaping domestic abuse. Bolton lads and girls club helps children to have a safe space to learn and grow. These and many more charities help others without asking for anything in return.

Unfortunately, we are having to set up this go fund me page as we are having to ask the lovely kind people who are reading this for financial help so Stacey can stop work and fight this rare type of aggressive breast cancer, then one day return to helping all those who are struggling in life and need Stacey's counseling skills.