Help us support Katie's treatment .........

We are the family of this remarkable and beautiful lady, Katie, and would like to share her story with you. Well, when we say family, we’re sure we could extend this to all her friends, work colleagues and everyone who knows Katie!

Katie's Story....

Katie married her husband, Rob, in November 2019 with all of us celebrating a magical day together and then settling down in their new home together.

During July 2021, Katie was diagnosed with Stage 4 Bowel cancer, aged 34. Although she had been suffering from anaemia and stomach pains, and despite consulting doctors over many months, the diagnosis only came after she completed a skydive. The skydive was organised by Katie’s friend, to raise money for breast cancer.

Fortunately, the outcome of completing the skydive was that it caused the stomach pain to increase, moving to her right shoulder. The following investigations into the shoulder pain subsequently led to a diagnosis and the commencement of treatment. Unfortunately, by the time she was diagnosed, she had inoperable and incurable bowel cancer with her liver also being 75% compromised.

It was unsurprising that she was very poorly during this time.

Katie started a course of Folfox chemotherapy which was successful in getting rid of the cancer apart from the metastases in her liver. Following almost a year of maintenance chemo (every fortnight), progression was found in scans which led to Katie needing second line chemotherapy in summer 2023. For those either with a cancer diagnosis, or knowing someone undergoing cancer treatment, we all learned a new word, ‘scanxiety’. The only definition of this needed is the anxiety brought on between an upcoming scan and receiving the results; Katie has had regular routine scans and experienced ‘scanxiety,’ but always remained her positive and cheerful self. We always send our love, support and best wishes when scans are due but cannot imagine the level of anxiety she experiences.

The second line chemotherapy has commenced and, importantly, to improve her prognosis, Katie would like to add another drug called Bevacizumab (Avastin) to her treatment protocol. It is an anti-angiogenesis treatment which is administered alongside standard treatments. Avastin hits cancer from another angle and is called a tumour starving therapy. Although this drug has been shown to support cancer patients like Katie, the problem is that this is not available on the NHS. The only way to receive this treatment drug in the UK is to obtain via private prescription, currently costing £900 every 2 weeks. This is the only way to receive this treatment in the UK.

Katie will be on treatment for the rest of her life; she is currently not operable due to the number of metastases on her liver. We hope that by adding Avastin to her treatment we are able make changes that make this possible.

Katie has such a zest for life, thinks of others before herself, adores animals especially her 3 cats Selby, Rupert, and Betty.

Recently she has thrown herself into supporting Stockport County FC, fortunately well enough to follow them to Wembley, and was ecstatic when they were promoted. We cannot emphasise how much we all admire her positivity through the last 2 years with feeling periods of pain and fatigue caused by her illness and the continuous rounds of treatments. Despite this adversity, she continues to give generously so much of herself to any given scenario, from the workplace to family, to friends and to charity, she is truly remarkable and an inspiration to us all.

If you are able to help us support Katie fund the Avastin treatment, we would like to thank you from our heart, we know that we are in tough financial times. Any support would mean so much to Katie (who is aware of this Go Fund Me page) and to all of us continuing to be alongside her on her journey.

Thank you so much.