They say bad things happen to good people and unfortunately this could not be more true for our sister Jess.

On Christmas Eve 2025, our sister Jess was told she had cancer. At that point we didn’t yet have a full diagnosis. All we knew was that Jess was extremely unwell and getting worse by the day. Initial scans showed a 30cm mass in her abdomen.

By 27th December, Jess’s heart rate had become dangerously high and the bloating and pain she was experiencing had become unbearable, so she was admitted to hospital.

For a young, fit 28-year-old, this certainly wasn’t how she imagined starting 2026.

Jess was first admitted to St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey. The plan at that stage was to stabilise her heart rate, help her regain some strength and carry out further tests and biopsies to understand exactly what type of cancer she had.

Sadly, things quickly became much more serious.

On 7th January we arrived at the hospital to find Jess in intensive care, surrounded by consultants and surgeons. They explained she needed emergency surgery within hours because she had become so critically unwell. Rapidly growing tumours in her abdomen needed to be removed immediately and the surgery came with significant risks.

During the first operation Jess became very unwell and the surgeons had to stop. She was taken back to ICU and placed into a medically induced coma so her body could rest. The doctors told us she just needed to make it through the night.

In true Jess fashion, she did.

After a stable night, she was taken back into surgery.

The surgeons later told us they had never seen anything like it. They found three very large tumours affecting her ovaries and bowel. In order to save her life, both ovaries had to be removed and Jess was given an ileostomy.

For a 28-year-old woman who hasn’t yet had the chance to have children, this was devastating news.

Just six weeks earlier Jess had been living a completely normal life — working two physically demanding jobs, keeping busy, and living life to the fullest. None of us ever imagined something this serious was happening inside her body.

Jess spent the following days recovering in intensive care with the help of the incredible nurses who looked after her so compassionately. We will forever be grateful to them.

When the final results came back, Jess was diagnosed with high-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin Burkitt lymphoma — a rare and aggressive cancer. This diagnosis came as a huge shock, as lymphoma had not been suspected earlier.

Jess was then transferred to the incredible Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea. When she arrived she spent some time in their critical care unit as she was still extremely unwell and required additional chest and abdominal drains to relieve her symptoms.

The amazing consultants there created a treatment plan which involves four rounds of very aggressive chemotherapy. This treatment comes with many difficult side effects, including hair loss and unfortunately cold capping is not an option.

Jess is receiving her chemotherapy as an inpatient, meaning she will remain in hospital for all of her treatment.

If you know Jess, you’ll know she lives life at full speed — so being in hospital since 27th December has been incredibly tough. Being told she would be staying there for a long time has been another huge challenge.

One of Jess’s doctors described her as “stoic” and we think that is the perfect word.

Despite everything she has been through since December, Jess has remained calm, resilient and incredibly brave. She has taken every piece of news in her stride and at times, has even been stronger than the rest of us.

Jess is now two rounds into her chemotherapy. Along the way she has battled sepsis, chest infections, mouth ulcers, hair loss and many of the other difficult side effects that come with such intense treatment. Yet she has not complained once.

When we shaved her hair, in true Jess style, she smiled the whole time.

Her chemotherapy is incredibly intense and often leaves her exhausted for days, but on the better days she is slowly rebuilding her strength and working towards doing all the everyday things many of us take for granted.

After such a long time of being bed bound, Jess now needs physiotherapy to rebuild her muscles and regain her independence — learning again to walk, dress and care for herself. She is determined to get back on her feet, but her body understandably needs time to recover.

The doctors and nurses caring for Jess have been nothing short of amazing. They are helping her adjust to her new normal while supporting her both physically and emotionally through this incredibly difficult time.

Jess’s life changed overnight. Without the incredible NHS teams at St Peter’s Hospital and the Royal Marsden, things could have been very different.

Once Jess is well and hopefully receives the all-clear, we know she will want to give back and thank the people who helped save her life.

But right now, Jess needs some support herself.

Like many people today, Jess is self-employed. Overnight she went from working full time to having no income at all — yet the bills and everyday costs of living continue.

We don’t know when Jess will be strong enough to return to work, so we are asking for any help people may be able to give.

The money raised will help Jess cover everyday living costs while she focuses on her recovery. It will also help with the additional expenses that come with long-term treatment — including travel to hospital appointments, parking costs and other unexpected expenses.

After losing her hair during chemotherapy, Jess would also love the opportunity to purchase a wig to help restore a small sense of normality and confidence during such a challenging time.

Most importantly, your support will help relieve the financial pressure Jess is facing so she can focus fully on healing and rebuilding her life.

If you are able to donate, no matter how small, it would mean the world to Jess and to all of us who love her.

And knowing Jess, once she’s through this, we’ll have a BIG celebration to plan — in true Gibelli style — to celebrate this incredibly strong young woman getting through the toughest time of her life.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Jess’s story and for any support you are able to give.

Sophie & Danielle x