Hi, my name is Helen, I have set up this page on behalf of two of my best friends who have faced incredibly challenging times during the last 18 months.

Imagine being 38 years old and finding out in May 2021 that you had an aggressive breast cancer that needs nearly a year of gruelling treatment (chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy). Despite there being many challenges along the way, including adverse reactions to treatment and losing your hair, you fight back, get the news your treatment was successful and begin to put your life back together…day-by-day, building physical strength through exercise and gaining mental strength through planning your future.

Fast forward to November 2022, when things are finally looking up. You decide to go on holiday to Australia to visit family out there; an opportunity to make up for lost time and create some amazing memories travelling together, only to find out a couple of weeks after arriving in Australia that the awful headaches you’ve begun to experience are actually a brain tumour. You proceed with the brain surgery recommended by medical professionals in the third week of your holiday, on the basis that you have sufficient cover under your travel insurance, only to find out that there’s uncertainty about what aspects of treatment will or will not be covered.

You manage to make arrangements to come home with your ‘fit to fly’ certificate only to be turned away for another day and further assessments by Emirates. You have to book business class flights because you are have developed mobility issues that mean you have no other choice to be comfortable on the journey. All this, whilst at home in England, your house is a building site as you planned for improvements works to be done whilst you were away.

When you finally get back to England, you hear the most devastating news that it’s a terminal prognosis.

This is their story. It’s so hard to comprehend.

This ‘go fund me’ page is to try and raise some money to support them at this heartbreaking and difficult time. The money will go towards private medical bills, rebooked flight costs (business class), whatever they need, really. Please help if you can. They are the best friends and kindest people you could ever meet ❤️.

Thank you.