
Help Rebuild A Family Castle While Battling Cancer
Donation protected
The Story
Hello, I’m Beth — and if you’re here, thank you for even taking the time to read this.
I’m a full-time worker, a carer, and a trans woman in the middle of the fight of my life.
I’ve been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, and I’m currently undergoing a gruelling round of FLOT chemotherapy, with major surgery on the horizon. I’m doing my best to keep working, to keep showing up, to hold everything together. But I’m exhausted. And I need help.
Not just for treatment — but to protect the only safe space I have left in this world:
my home.
⸻
️ This House Means Everything
This is our family home — the house my beloved mum left behind when she passed.
We call it the castle — because in a world that can be cruel, this place has always been my sanctuary. It’s where I became who I truly am. It’s where I care for my neurodivergent sibling, who lives with life-limiting needs. And it’s the one place that still feels like her.
This house holds memories, meaning, and the last warmth of the woman who raised us with strength, humour, and grace. She was our Mumma Bear. She’d want us safe. She’d want this home protected.
But right now — it’s not safe. And I can’t protect it alone.
⸻
What I’m Facing
I don’t have a working shower or bath.
That’s been the case for months.
I’m on chemotherapy. My immune system is compromised. And the simplest human need — to wash, to feel clean, to feel like a person — is out of reach.
The house is falling into disrepair. Fencing is damaged. Fixtures are failing.
And I don’t have the money, time, or energy to fix it — because all of that is being poured into surviving.
I’ve applied for support. But it’s slow. The system is stretched. And the reality is:
there’s no one coming — unless it’s you.
⸻
Who I Am (And Why It Matters)
I’m someone who’s spent their life fighting — for others, and for myself.
I’ve worked full-time for years. I’ve cared for my sibling. I’ve rebuilt my life after trauma.
I’ve walked through grief, through gender transition, through recovery, through loss.
And now, I’m walking through cancer.
I’ve never made a public ask like this. It’s hard. It feels vulnerable. But this is my one ask.
Just once — I’m asking you to help me hold the roof over my head.
To help me rebuild the only place I’ve ever truly felt safe.
To help me survive this with dignity.
⸻
️ What Your Donations Will Do
Your support will go directly toward:
• £4,500 – Wet room or safe shower installation
• £3,500 – Urgent repairs: fencing, electrics, household safety
• £2,500 – Cancer recovery support: hospital travel, nutrition, aids
• £2,000 – Contingency for emergency costs or equipment
• £2,500 – Household needs while I undergo treatment and recover
Anything extra will go towards long-term care support and keeping this home running in the months to come.
⸻
Final Words From My Heart
If you’ve ever held onto a house because it held the last scent of someone you love —
you’ll understand.
If you’ve ever fought to keep the basics while dealing with something unthinkable —
you’ll understand.
I need this home to survive treatment. I need it to come back to after surgery. I need it for my mental health, my physical safety, and the memory of my mum — the strongest woman I’ve ever known.
If you can help: thank you.
If you can share this: thank you.
If all you can do is hold me in your thoughts: that means the world.
This is my one ask. This is me, with no mask, no polish — just Beth, asking for a little light in the dark.
With all my heart,
Beth
Daughter of Mumma Bear. Keeper of the Castle.
#HelpBethHeal #ProtectTheCastle #CancerSurvivor #MutualAid #TransStrong #MummaBearLegacy
Organizer

Beth Johnston
Organizer
England