Help me be a Medical Miracle by overcoming stage 4 cancer

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Lucy Hibburd and 4 others are organizing this fundraiser.

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Hi, i´m Lucy, age 42, mum to 4 cats, living a simple life in south of Spain. Never thought i´d be here writing this for myself.

On January 26th, 2024 after months of back pain (that was believed to be from a herniated disk) - i was rushed to A&E after i collapsed at home on the bathroom floor - the pain got too much and i could no longer walk.

(Here is me, reluctantly being admitted to hospital 26th Jan)

Placed on morphine and confined to a hospital bed as recent news of a ´Fractured´ spine meant i was no longer allowed to move. Several tests, scans later... on February 1st my doctor stands in front of me and asks:

"Lucy, WHO is going to take care of you?... you have advanced stage lung cancer which is also in your spine and liver. It is a tumor in your spine that has broken the L3 vertabrae causing your mobility issues"

Well.. i did NOT see THAT coming!

Needless to say, i am STILL trying to digest the enormity of all this. Trying to get my head around the diagnosis, what my cancer type means, treatment options and facing some BIG decisions This is evolving on a daily basis and i´m still not 100% sure of how this journey will evolve.

DIAGNOSIS:

So, in black n white. I have Stage 4 (IVc), Adenocarcinoma of the lung with metastasis to L3 vertabra, liver and lymphs. They told me it is non operable, not curative, surgery is not an option. All they can do is... send me home with paliative care and pain management.

Then, they discovered I have a rare mutation of my cancer (a 5% chance of that) which, despite not having any cures for it, people have responded well to one medication (Osimertinib) that aims to slow down and stop the spread of cancer which buys me... time. (they explained that if i do NOTHING, we are talking 3 months. If i start the meds and get to work i can add years, 2,3,4...5?..)

(here are some images that show how my spine fractured due to the tumor that has pretty much devoured my L3. I have lost 1 inch in my height)

(pesky tumors in my spine, lung and liver)

TREATMENT:

I received 2x sessions of Radiotheraphy on my spine. That is as much as they can do using Radiotheraphy on that specific area.

Asides from the tablets to help win me time. There is no other ´conventional´ medical treatment options for me at this point. They have said NO to chemo. And a MAYBE for immunotheraphy depending how i respond to the new drug.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT OPTIONS:

And so, i am NOT one to shrink back and give up or do nothing. Not while there are TONS of alternative approaches to treating cancer out there now and so many people who have written books about how they survived!

I was once here fighting my mums corner during her cancer journey and from that i built a big network of support, alternative treatment routes, resources and so i am revisiting those.

My plan (right now) is radical diet changes and support from a nutritionist to boost my immunity. Taking necessary herbs/supplements. I’d like to try other supportive therapies (acupuncture, ozone thereapy, physio etc). I will then follow a holistic treatment plan with a supporting doctor / clinic and my oncologist all on board.

One huge relief is that for now, i still get support through my employer. So my day to day expenses are more or less covered. But at some point this financial support stops. I should be ok for 1 year.

HOW DO I NEED HELP?

Where i WILL need help from you, my supporting COMMUNITY will be, for everything else - the cost of private treatment : supplements, nutritionist, treatment like ozone therapy, other immunotherapies. I don´t know exactly how much everything will cost.. I am starting with 30K. The cost of private clinics, natural treatments, thereapies, consultations with specialists.. the numbers add up quickly from 10k to 40, 50k and up depending on so many factors.

NEXT STEPS:

I had 3 treatment options in mind already.. but i have opted for the one i could start the soonest, that was the most affordable and give it a chance. If in the future I feel i need to try other methods/clinics i know of at least two clinics i would reach out to.

HOPE:

I have read sooo many articles and cases of people who have successfully overcome their cancer or continue to live with, thrive with cancer for many, many years despite being given a really gloomy outlook like mine!. I do truly believe that Cancer no longer needs to be the immediate death sentence it´s believed to be and that there are options out there. We just have to find the route that works for us as an individual.

I am SO determined to be one of these miracle people who overcomes the cancer diagnosis, so i can then move on to fix my spine start to move, dance, practice yoga again and dedicate my days to helping people in the future to walk through such a path.

Thank you so much for reading and being with me.

Any questions, please reach out and I’ll do my best to answer.

Much love,

Lucy

PS - If you wish to see some of my resources which i have found so helpful for family/friends, check here (these are 3 amazing cancer thrivers with incredible stories):

https://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/

https://kriscarr.com/

https://www.anitamoorjani.com