Bhurita's fight against a rare and aggressive Ovarian Cancer

Bhurita is my wife and a wonderful mother to our two young children, Aalin (6) and Benjamin (23 months). After living in Thailand for 10 years, we moved to the Isle of Man in July 2022. I was born in the Isle of Man, and now Bhurita is proud to call the island her home. Shortly after moving, our second child, Benjamin, was born. However, only a year later, life changed dramatically for our family when Bhurita was diagnosed with Stage 3b Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary Hypercalcemic Type (SCCOHT), a rare and aggressive cancer.

SCCOHT accounts for less than 0.01% of all ovarian cancers, with only around 500 cases reported in the world to date! Due to the rarity of this cancer, there has been little research done on treatment, and therefore, some tested treatments used on other, more common, cancers are not funded or approved by the NHS for patients of rare cancers such as SCCOHT.

Bhurita's journey so far:

In October 2023, Bhurita suffered from abdominal pain. Tests led to a scan which found a 16 cm tumour in her ovary requiring a full hysterectomy. In December 2023, surgeons were able to remove her organs and the main tumour, but unfortunately, surgeons halted the operation as she was losing too much blood. They were not able to safely remove the peritoneum, the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity, where some small amounts of cancer cells were also found.

In January 2024, results from the tumour biopsy came back and diagnosed SCCOHT, and Bhurita started chemotherapy. However, the chemotherapy was stopped in April after only three cycles because another large tumour had developed in her pelvis. We were told that it was not operable. While waiting for a second opinion, Bhurita was referred to palliative care, and there was a long period of 3 months where Bhurita received no further treatment.

Bhurita is in a lot of pain as the tumour presses against other organs, and her mobility is severely restricted. She is weak and in pain due to Ascites, bowel blockage and painfully swollen legs due to restricted blood flow. In late July 2024, a CT scan showed progression in the growth of the tumour in her pelvis and also some spreading to the visceral pleura of the lung.

Charing Cross Hospital in London has now recommended immunotherapy with Caelyx, another type of chemotherapy, for better results. Unfortunately, the NHS does not fund immunotherapy for ovarian cancer.

Bhurita's goal:

To shrink and manage her tumour so she can regain some quality of life and regain some of her mobility. She hopes to prolong her life for as long as possible to see our children grow. She wants Benjamin to know her and have actual memories of her, not just from photos and videos. She wants to join us on days out at the weekend, not just lying in the house in pain. We can only achieve this with the proper treatment.

We are raising money because the NHS will only fund chemotherapy for this type of cancer and will not fund immunotherapy. We must pay £5,650 ourselves to access monthly immunotherapy treatment. Including flights, transport, and accommodation costs while travelling between the Isle of Man and London, a two-year course of treatment will total around £150,000.

We will do as much as possible as a family but would appreciate some much-needed help. Bhurita is a fantastic mum determined to live her life for our little ones. They are both too young to understand what is happening with their mother. She wants to see them grow and be a part of beautiful memories in their childhood. Only a year after our son was born, this cancer has turned our family upside down, and it is extremely difficult for us to overcome this situation. We wish that Bhurita can stay with us longer with the help to pay for her immunotherapy, and we hope that it will do its job in her body. We need her with us.

Please help to donate.