LauraLucy72

This is the hardest thing I have ever had to write as I never thought I would need to but circumstances have changed way beyond my control and planning. I’ve cashed my pension, life insurance and my saving are depleted yet I still need so much to live longer, I’m a single mum of 6 and I need to be here for them so much. Eight years ago, at the age of 46, I was diagnosed with breast cancer that had already spread to my lymph nodes. I underwent a lumpectomy, a full axillary clearance, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, I then had my ovaries removed and took Tamoxifen. Four years later, my world changed forever when the cancer shockingly returned as advanced stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. It had spread to approximately 85% of my liver, as well as my lungs and bones. My youngest children were only 13, 14, 16 and 18 years old when I was told my remaining time was measured in weeks and to get my things in order. Terrified, I searched relentlessly for another option. That search via a good friend led me to Professor Vogl in Germany, where I combined specialist treatment called TACE unavailable to me in the uk with a complex integrative approach that included private medical advice, off-label medications, supplements, nutritional support and every evidence-informed step I could take to give myself the best possible chance of surviving. I was told it was impossible to survive at this late stage but miraculously I did. And since then I am passionate about helping others on this path. I urgently need my next specialist review in Germany, where I travel every three to six months for scans and consultations to monitor my stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Even if I do not need treatment, each visit costs approximately £3,500 once scans, consultations, flights and accommodation are included. For years I always found another way to pay, because there was only one thing I wanted: the chance to stay alive and watch my children grow up and then to help others with my support. Today, I simply cannot do that any longer. To fund this journey, I cashed in my life insurance, then my pension and finally the savings I had spent a lifetime building. I spent it because I wanted the chance to watch my children grow up. The journey itself was unimaginably hard and I was so desperately unwell for so long I truly had times I felt I wousknt make it and sometimes where it was so bad I questioned if I could continue. . I developed sepsis three times, came frighteningly close to losing my life and my weight dropped to just five and a half stone. There were moments when my family believed they were going to lose me. Somehow, I came through it. Today I appear to have no evidence of active metastatic disease, but I have r been able to have a proper checkup for 6 months so I’m very scared at the moment. something I never take for granted is staying well. MBC is a lifelong diagnosis, and remaining well depends on ongoing specialist monitoring. Returning to Germany every three to six months is not a luxury. It is an essential part of preserving the life I have worked so hard to rebuild. I have also recently been diagnosed with ADHD and autism known as AUDHD. The recommended private ADHD treatment costs around £200per month, which I simply cannot afford on top of all the other supplements and private prescriptions and supplements I rely on to sustain me. The right medication has the potential to reduce the constant overwhelm I experience every day, improve my focus, organisation and emotional regulation, and help me be more present with my children and grandchildren. It may also make me less stressed which is good for the cancer. Living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer has taught me how precious life is, and I want the best possible quality of life for however many years I am fortunate enough to have. I’m scared to begin this medication then not to be able to afford to keep taking it. Throughout all of this, I have done everything I possibly could to fund my own care. I never expected to ask anyone else for help. I am a single mum to six children and am going through a traumatic divorce just to top it all off! The remaining funds I had responsibly planned for and worked all my life to build, so that I could continue funding my future medical care, are tied up in ongoing legal proceedings and are simply unavailable to me. Given my medical circumstances, I never imagined I would be in this horrific and frightening position of not being able to afford the ongoing treatment and specialist monitoring that I so desperately need to help me continue living well for as long as possible, let alone any further treatment for when my cancer returns which I’ve been told it will, I live with an aggressive form of stage 4 MBC with the PIK3 mutation. Despite everything I am facing, I continue to devote as much of my time as possible to helping other people affected by cancer. Time has become my most precious gift, and I choose to spend a great deal of it supporting patients and their families, sharing information, offering hope, and helping people access treatments they may never otherwise have known about. I also offer private consultations, which provide a small contribution towards my time and enable me to continue supporting as many people as I can. Helping others has become one of the most meaningful parts of my life, and I hope to continue doing so for many years to come. I totally understand and approve people may not want to or be able to give but just a simple share can go such a long way! Every single share and donation however small will be hugely appreciated and will help with ; * Quarterly trips to Germany (£3,500–£5,000 per visit) for specialist consultations, scans, check-ups and any treatment needed to keep my cancer in remission. * ADHD medical treatment (approximately £200 per month), including specialist care, assessments, medication reviews and ongoing treatment. * Off-label medications, supplements and specialist nutrition (£1,000–£1,500 per month) that are not routinely funded but form part of my ongoing health plan. * Essential daily living costs to help support myself and my six children while my illness has dramatically reduced my ability to work. * Household bills and family expenses, helping bridge the gap between my current limited income from consultations and the income I was able to earn before becoming seriously ill. * Travel and related medical expenses, including flights, accommodation, insurance (where possible), local transport and other unavoidable costs associated with accessing specialist treatment. * Financial stability for my family, allowing me to continue focusing on staying well, supporting my children and continuing the advocacy work that helps other cancer patients find treatment options if you’re unable to donate or don’t like donations I totally understand but sharing this or my social media would also be a huge help and greatly valued so much more than you know. Love, Laura