Help our family beat breast and ovarian cancer.

Hi, my name is Rainbow and I'm fundraising to help beat breast cancer and ovarian cancer in our family for good.

One of the nurses at the cancer unit today suggested that I start a gofundme, we spoke about how there's such a supportive community of people out there who really want to help. This leaves me hopeful that maybe our family can beat this for good and live long lives where we can pay this generosity forward and help others when they're in need.

Every woman on my dad's side has had breast cancer, going back five generations. My granny was the first woman to survive this horrible disease only to get ovarian cancer later.

We don't have any of the genes (that can currently be tested for) that increase the risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. This means we could have a gene that hasn't yet been discovered or possibly a genetic predisposition for oestrogen sensitivity. This is difficult to test for so my sister and I are left not knowing the cause, it also means we are not eligible for risk reducing surgery on the NHS.

I currently have triple positive breast cancer for which I'm undergoing chemotherapy and targeted therapy for the HER2 coating on the tumours. It has spread to a lymph node but the prognosis is good. Being diagnosed at age 40, there's a 76% chance I will survive this.

I expect to have either a lumpectomy or one breast completely removed. The NHS treatment team have been great but they have confirmed that they will not remove my other breast. Psychologically this is very difficult to accept. I will need to seek private care to remove at least one breast, possibly both. It seems our strong family history of oestrogen sensitive cancer is not enough.

The chemotherapy I'm receiving will most likely put me through the menopause early, but risk reducing surgery to remove ovaries on the NHS is only available to those with a positive test result for one of the genes that cause these cancers.

Once my treatment is over I will also be asked to take tamoxifen. This is to prevent the cancer coming back and I'll need to take this for 5 or 10 years. This drug has some very unpleasant side effects including an increased risk of uterine cancer.

All of these risks are a dark cloud that will leave me living in fear that cancer will be coming back again and again like it does for many women with the same type of breast cancer. I'm trying to raise funds initially for a double mastectomy for myself and for my sister followed by a full hysterectomy each too. We can then hopefully live our lives healthily and without fear.

For anyone reading this who can help us out or even just spread the word which might lead to better outcomes for others in future; I appreciate you so much and thank you for your kindness.