Jem's Journey from Rare Cancer to Organ Transplant

Jems Journey - Rare PMP Cancer to Multi Organ Transplant

Jemily Brown (Jem) is 35, She is married to Tim and mother to Mayana aged 10. Jem suffers from a rare form of cancer and is about to undergo a huge multi organ transplant surgery (Stomach, Small Intestines, Part of Large Bowel and Pancreas)

It is anticipated that Jem will be in Oxford Hospital for around 8 weeks after the surgery and then around 6 months recovery at home with weekly trips back to Oxford for checkup.

We are blessed to be under the amazing care of the NHS and the world class surgeons from Oxford and Basingstoke.

We are equally grateful to be surrounded by amazing family and friends who support us along the way.

People have often asked what they can do to help and if we need anything...   Well here it is... 

The impact of the cancer has meant that earlier this year Jem had to give up the job she loved for 18 years.  While benefits have helped bridge some of this gap we are already living under a strict budget as we face this surgery and the need to move house next year. (But that's another story)

The reality we face is that while the Medical Treatment is covered under the NHS there is a significant financial impact of surgery and general life with cancer. 

Macmillan estimate that the cost of those living with cancer is an additional £570 a month.  

Any money given will help us towards.

- Daily Travel to Oxford for Family - £25 a Trip
- Parking in Oxford Hospital
- Short Term Accommodation in Oxford for Family
- Adhoc Expenses - Hospital Life always springs surprises!
- Meal Expenses for Family - Service Stations and Hospital Canteens can get pricey and not offer the best diet. Eating at odd hours of the day/night
-  Recovery Expenses, Life is very different post Transplant Surgery.

If you don't know us and you have come across us by chance or a friend has shard this link then please read a bit of story below.

The last few years have been quite the adventure and its about to get even more intense, so here’s a little background...

As the classic song goes… Let’s start at the very beginning, A very good place to start.

In September 2017 Jem was diagnosed with a crazy rare form of cancer called Pseudomyxoma Peritonei
This cancer affects about 2 in a Million people and is known as “Jelly Belly”   A cancerous Jelly fills the abdomen and sticks itself to organs.

In October 2017 Jem had a 12 hour surgery called Cytoreduction with HIPEC where there cleared out as much of the Jelly as they could and where the jelly had stuck to organs they removed the non vital organs.


Jem had TEN organs removed during this surgery and spent the next month in Hospital repairing.
This Surgery is often known as MOAS - MOTHER OF ALL SURGERIES.

Before and After! 

In 2018 Jem was on the road to recovery and getting back to living life.

In September 2018 we were told that the Jelly had started to grown again and so Jem started a round of Chemo with the hope that it might stop the growth.

In January 2019 Jem completed Chemo but we were told that it had not been successful and the Jelly was still growing.

After meeting with Jems consultant in Basingstoke in March 2019 we were told that there were no other suitable treatments and the only option that Jem had was an experimental treatment that had only been done 14 times in the world!

After a week of assessments Jem was accepted for a Multi Organ Transplant surgery in Oxford. The surgery will be in 2 parts. The first half will be the team from Basingstoke removing as much of the Jelly as they can and then the oxford transplant team will transplant the Stomach, Small Intestine, Part of the Large Bowel and the Pancreas... If we thought the first surgery was huge then this is the Grand Mother of all Surgeries!!

This surgery is not viewed as cure to Jem illness but it is hoped that it will extend her years and give her a better quality of life than she currently has.

So here we are in September 2019 and we are on the list waiting for suitable organs or become available for Jem to have the surgery. Once we get "The Call" we will have 5 hrs to get to Oxford which will then become the focus of our world for around 8 weeks.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and I hope you can see the magnitude of what we face as a family.

As you can see in the pictures Jem has faced each step of they journey so far with determination and a smile on her face.

We would be incredibly grateful if you would help us on the next stage of this journey.

Thanks

Tim, Jem and Mayana