Caring for Claire

I was originally diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 approximately 3 weeks after the birth of our second child, Ethan Luca in Switzerland. Although completely devastating the doctors were confident they could cure me with 8 cycles of chemo followed by a single radical mastectomy. Looking back it seems that was a breeze compared to what I face now but I'm sure it felt tough enough at the time.

I got through the treatment and we started to rebuild our lives including moving back to Dubai in early 2012; a place that holds special memories for my husband and I as its where we met, fell in love and got married. We settled in well to what was a very different experience this time around in Dubai with me not working and as a family of four, but it was in June of the same year that our world came crashing down around us as I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in my bones. This time the doctors confirmed there was no cure but they would do as much as they could to treat the cancer for as long as they could. I can't even begin to describe what this news did to our family. But we picked ourselves up and have continued to do so as we have experienced the rollercoaster ride from hell that is cancer ever since.

I've undergone many treatments over the past two years most have worked successfully for a period of time before they stopped working and I had to change tack. I've radically changed my diet eating primarily fruits, vegetables, nuts and pulses cutting out sugar, gluten and processed foods. I juice everyday and consume as many super foods as possible to try and give myself the best chance I can to fight this disease.

But it's a bumpy road in many senses, and recently we learned that I will soon no longer have any medical insurance to pay for my treatment here in Dubai. I mean have we not got enough to worry about!

So Robbie and some very generous friends set about organising a fundraiser that will take place during Breast Cancer Awareness month on 30th October 2014. The event is called the Chefs United Ball, Robbie's many colleagues within the hospitality industry have pulled together like we couldn't have imagined and plan to deliver the most spectacular evening of amazing foods, auctions, music and dancing. But of course not everyone can be there on the night to support us for many reasons and friends have been asking how else they can help us in raising the necessary funds to pay for my treatment hence the setting up of this Go Fund Me account.

Thank you so much for the support you have given me and my family in any way shape or form it gets us through some of our darkest days and helps us to make the most of the time we have together xxxx