Dolores welfare break
Donation protected
September 2018 Update
Our friend Paul Gale is currently running the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc...an epic 170km alpine course with 10,000 metres of ascent and just 46.5 hours to complete. The forecast is for the temperature to drop to a very chilly -11degC.
Quite unexpectedly, Paul called us a couple of weeks ago and said he would like to help us towards another welfare break for Dolores. With no possible recovery from her post-cancer difficulties, chronic pain and heart condition, we are extremely grateful to Paul and also everyone who has and continues to support us.
Dolores' story...
10 years ago my wife, Dolores, was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Aggressive oral chemotherapy and maximum dose of radiotherapy failed, leaving radical life changing surgery as the only course of action.
After losing 30% of her bodyweight, partial recovery from muscle and bone wasting took 2 years. However, every day she still has to deal with the consequences of having half her insides cut out. It also took a long time for the large area of skin in the radiotheraphy target area to regrow. It literally fell off during treatment.
Rarely is she pain free and she has permanent skin irritation from the radiation burn.
Just when she had passed the 5 year remission point, another cancer appeared, this time on her temple. Not wanting to go through another agonising wait for treatment, we borrowed £1000, we could not afford, to start the process off with a biopsy. Only for the consultant's notes to become lost after he broke his arm whilst skiing. The delay in treatment meant the tumour doubled in size, threatening eye muscles, before it was eventually cut out, requiring a larger skin graft.
3 years ago Dolores suffered a hear attack. It can't be proven but studies have linked the oral chemotherapy drugs to heart failure.
Then 2 years ago, an internal obstruction caused by scar tissue adhesion required her to be admitted into hospital under blue lights with sepsis. She required an urgent operation, followed by several days in the intensive care unit. Dolores eventually made it out of hospital four weeks later. But her care continued at home with daily visits by nurses to dress infected wounds.
Over the next 18 months she made slow progress but has never fully recovered from this ordeal.
Her mobility is now seriously restricted to the extent she cannot walk further than 50 metres and needs a wheelchair. For someone who used to be so full of vitality this is an awful burden for her to cope with.
Through her life, Dolores has been generous with her time, hospitality, care and kindness. Her last full time job was a bereavement counsellor in a rehabilitation hospital. Her work helped fund a private room to be set aside for relatives who's loved one had died. For 10 years she worked as a volunteer for Age UK. Even since her cancer, she dedicated several years as a charity counsellor for people to cope with difficult life changing outcomes following bowel cancer.
Although life rarely works this way, perhaps Dolores is now due back some of the good she had freely shared over the years.
Stuart's story...
I divide my time between work as a Mountain Leader and caring for Dolores. Even though I am a carer for well over 30 hours each week (as I earn just a few pounds a month too much from my outdoor work) I am not entitled to any assistance from the state. The consequences of cancer have been deeply destructive and far reaching. Over the years, in desperate times I have requested help and advice from several well known cancer charities. None have offered any practical or emotional help. I am baffled as to what part of Dolores' treatment and prolonged hardship during recovery made us not qualify for their help. Hence, I have set up this page so that donors will be reassured that their help truly goes to someone who needs it rather than being siphoned off by charity bosses on 6 figure salaries.
Rest break
Please help us fund a rest break for my wife who has done so many good things for others.
Now unable to endure the travel of a foreign holiday, or the associated insurace fees. Dolores would like to take a boat journey along Loch Ness with a few days in a modest old crofters hut in the Oban area. It will give her a much needed change of scenery and a chance to relive happier times among the beautiful countyside and mountains.
We do not know what the immediate future holds, but Dolores heart condition and mobilty will become worse, as it has steadily since her heart attack. Hence, we would like to raise funds over this winter so that she can enjoy her break in the coming spring.
Our sincerest thanks
Stu & Dolores
Our friend Paul Gale is currently running the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc...an epic 170km alpine course with 10,000 metres of ascent and just 46.5 hours to complete. The forecast is for the temperature to drop to a very chilly -11degC.
Quite unexpectedly, Paul called us a couple of weeks ago and said he would like to help us towards another welfare break for Dolores. With no possible recovery from her post-cancer difficulties, chronic pain and heart condition, we are extremely grateful to Paul and also everyone who has and continues to support us.
Dolores' story...
10 years ago my wife, Dolores, was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Aggressive oral chemotherapy and maximum dose of radiotherapy failed, leaving radical life changing surgery as the only course of action.
After losing 30% of her bodyweight, partial recovery from muscle and bone wasting took 2 years. However, every day she still has to deal with the consequences of having half her insides cut out. It also took a long time for the large area of skin in the radiotheraphy target area to regrow. It literally fell off during treatment.
Rarely is she pain free and she has permanent skin irritation from the radiation burn.
Just when she had passed the 5 year remission point, another cancer appeared, this time on her temple. Not wanting to go through another agonising wait for treatment, we borrowed £1000, we could not afford, to start the process off with a biopsy. Only for the consultant's notes to become lost after he broke his arm whilst skiing. The delay in treatment meant the tumour doubled in size, threatening eye muscles, before it was eventually cut out, requiring a larger skin graft.
3 years ago Dolores suffered a hear attack. It can't be proven but studies have linked the oral chemotherapy drugs to heart failure.
Then 2 years ago, an internal obstruction caused by scar tissue adhesion required her to be admitted into hospital under blue lights with sepsis. She required an urgent operation, followed by several days in the intensive care unit. Dolores eventually made it out of hospital four weeks later. But her care continued at home with daily visits by nurses to dress infected wounds.
Over the next 18 months she made slow progress but has never fully recovered from this ordeal.
Her mobility is now seriously restricted to the extent she cannot walk further than 50 metres and needs a wheelchair. For someone who used to be so full of vitality this is an awful burden for her to cope with.
Through her life, Dolores has been generous with her time, hospitality, care and kindness. Her last full time job was a bereavement counsellor in a rehabilitation hospital. Her work helped fund a private room to be set aside for relatives who's loved one had died. For 10 years she worked as a volunteer for Age UK. Even since her cancer, she dedicated several years as a charity counsellor for people to cope with difficult life changing outcomes following bowel cancer.
Although life rarely works this way, perhaps Dolores is now due back some of the good she had freely shared over the years.
Stuart's story...
I divide my time between work as a Mountain Leader and caring for Dolores. Even though I am a carer for well over 30 hours each week (as I earn just a few pounds a month too much from my outdoor work) I am not entitled to any assistance from the state. The consequences of cancer have been deeply destructive and far reaching. Over the years, in desperate times I have requested help and advice from several well known cancer charities. None have offered any practical or emotional help. I am baffled as to what part of Dolores' treatment and prolonged hardship during recovery made us not qualify for their help. Hence, I have set up this page so that donors will be reassured that their help truly goes to someone who needs it rather than being siphoned off by charity bosses on 6 figure salaries.
Rest break
Please help us fund a rest break for my wife who has done so many good things for others.
Now unable to endure the travel of a foreign holiday, or the associated insurace fees. Dolores would like to take a boat journey along Loch Ness with a few days in a modest old crofters hut in the Oban area. It will give her a much needed change of scenery and a chance to relive happier times among the beautiful countyside and mountains.
We do not know what the immediate future holds, but Dolores heart condition and mobilty will become worse, as it has steadily since her heart attack. Hence, we would like to raise funds over this winter so that she can enjoy her break in the coming spring.
Our sincerest thanks
Stu & Dolores
Organizer
Stuart Westfield
Organizer
