Help Cassandra and Her Family Get Home While Fighting Cancer
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Background
After meeting in Seoul, South Korea in 2020 where we both had been working, I married the love of my life, my American husband Arthur, in 2023, and we have since welcomed our daughter in June 2024.
Unfortunately, my life took a devastating turn when I was diagnosed with two separate types of cancer:
- Sinonasal adenocarcinoma — a super rare and aggressive sinus cancer
- Papillary thyroid cancer
Since then, I’ve undergone three surgeries, 30 rounds of radiation, and 6 rounds of chemotherapy. The treatment has left me with partial high-frequency hearing loss, only 30–50% of my sense of smell and taste, and an even darker, rawer sense of humour than before.
While the thyroid cancer has thankfully been dealt with and is unlikely to return, the sinus cancer carries a 40% chance of recurrence — and if it does come back, the odds are... not great.
After a year of fighting and healing, we’ve had to make a heartbreaking decision to leave Korea, the country where I met my husband and where we built our life together.
Why I Need Help
Due to strict UK immigration laws, I’m returning to the UK alone for now. Despite being married with a child, I cannot bring my husband with me because I don’t meet the £29,000 income threshold required for a spouse visa. This rule poses a huge barrier for families like ours, especially when one partner is facing serious medical issues.
My current visa in Korea also requires an income to remain valid, and my husband’s income isn’t enough to support us all, let alone cope with the costs of treatment for me, so we are unable to continue living here securely and safely.
As such, we are being forced to split our family across two continents:
- Me to the UK for treatment and stability long-term.
- My husband and daughter to the United States, where he has some family support but where we cannot ultimately end up due to the costs my treatment could incur.
Our savings have been stretched thin to the limits as a result of this move and I have been heartbroken to part with my daughter — I simply don’t have the support or finances I need to care for her in the UK alone as I recover, get treatment and look for a job.
While we're doing everything we can to manage this awful situation, it’s been truly overwhelming and so we would very much appreciate any help you could give.
How You Can Help
If you’re able to donate, even if only a couple of pennies here and there, it would really help. All funds will go directly toward:
- Temporary accommodation, living expenses, and initial medical costs while I get back on my feet in the UK
- Flights and moving costs for both me and my family
- The cost of applying for a UK spouse visa so we can be together again
Other Ways to Support
Even if you can’t donate, here are other ways to help:
- Sharing this GoFundMe - the more the merrier!
- (UK Citizens) – Please consider contacting your MP about the unjust financial requirements keeping families like mine apart.
- Check in – A simple message or kind word means so much during this lonely transition.
- Advocate for yourself – If something feels off with your body, get it checked. I had only a runny nose and some loss of smell. If the doctor didn't order that CT scan to check, I might not be here now...
How We’d Love to Give Back
We’re deeply grateful for every bit of support — whether financial, emotional, or practical. While we may not have much right now, we believe in reciprocity and connection so here are a few small ways we’d love to give back:
- Personal thank-you notes or messages – If you’d like, we’d love to send a heartfelt note your way.
- Updates on the journey – Feel free to follow me on Instagram for monthly update videos ( @greenteaglorification ) to keep posted on how we’re doing and how your support is helping us move forward!
- Paying it forward – One day, when we’re back on our feet, we promise to pass the kindness on to someone else facing their own uphill battle and to continue advocating for families to be kept together!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, sharing, or helping in any way. You’re helping me fight not just for my health, but for my family too.
With love and deep gratitude,
Cassandra
xxx
Organizer
Cassandra Talbot
Organizer
England