Cancer Treatment Funds Appeal

My name is Joanne and I must find £25,000 pounds to pay for my mother Agnes’ urgent treatment for Hypopharyngeal (throat) cancer now. In August she came with other family members to England from Kenya, her lifelong home, to attend her grand daughter’s wedding. My mother is 80 years old and has worked her whole life as a nurse and never had a day off work due to illness. She had this sore throat that she had felt she hadn’t wanted to come over for the wedding fearing our English weather would not help but, shortly after all the rest of the family had returned, she felt this situation wasn’t clearing and some lump in her throat was developing so, we visited the GP, who referred her immediately to a specialist, as this was not simply a sore throat. Her visa does not entitle her to NHS care, so we had to go privately.

I have already spent £11,863.03 pounds on her consultations and MRI scans. The good news is that the cancer is at Stage 2 and has not spread, and the consultant advised that radiotherapy will be effective if performed immediately. Her visa runs out on 26 Jan, another complication.

This is and has been a traumatic shock to the whole family. Instead of basking in the joy of my daughter’s wedding, we are now facing a family crisis and great uncertainty. My bank has refused a loan and we don’t know how we are going to find this enormous sum, let alone at such a very short notice.

We are pursuing all options and must remain positive, trusting that our prayers will be answered. My mother is resilient and will recover with treatment. She is an anchor of health and support within her community and remains full of hope. We humbly appeal for your compassion to help and share our journey.

The full story:

My whole family came to visit all the way from Kenya, parents, brothers, sisters and cousins from Dubai, a huge happy family gathering. Everyone had been looking forward to this for many years, having been postponed by Covid. As my mother is now retired, after a life long career as a nurse, she was able to stay on to enjoy time with her dear grandchildren.

On 28 August we visited the GP. He was concerned this was not simply a sore throat and immediately referred her to a throat specialist. We were fortunate to see the specialist within the week, but he was also concerned and referred her immediately to a throat surgeon, which was when we really started to worry. Many tests were performed over the next three weeks as we went back and forth to The Nuffield Hospital, where the bills which came to thousands of pounds have had to be paid in advance. My savings have disappeared overnight, and thanks to the generosity of family and friends we were able to pay for all the tests and consultations. My mother has had the following tests: an endoscopy, throat biopsy, chest and throat CT scans, a PET scan and finally an MRI of her entire spine for any bone cancer (osteosarcoma). The diagnosis was Hypopharyngeal Cancer. Fortunately, all other tests are all clear and thank God the cancer has not spread. Although Hypopharyngeal Cancer is rare it is treatable.

The shock of discovering her sore throat was cancer turned our wedding joy to anxiety and fear overnight. (We still haven’t looked at the wedding photos for fear of further upsetting her.) At this stage I panicked because my mum has never been admitted to any hospital her whole life. Nor has she been on any sort of medication It is impossible to revel in yesterday’s happiness in the midst of today’s uncertainty. But we are a resilient family grounded in a strong faith.

The magnitude of facing cancer at my mother’s age, having been healthy and active all her life, has frightened her. Ironically my mother was a nurse and her motto has always been to give her best self to others, and she was always an anchor of support within her community.

The shock was surreal, and all we could do was gracefully accept the situation. I cannot describe my mum’s reaction and face on hearing the diagnosis. We had a very sober calm discussion with the surgeon and walked back to the car in silence. When I got in my car car I gripped the steering wheel and screamed, while my mother sat in silence. Eventually, I was calm and able to drive home. Nothing can prepare you for such a ferocious tremor. Unthinkable. My mother nursed all her four brothers and sister until their very end, in her own home. Always calm and shielding her own very raw loss and emotions. Now it pains me to see her struggling to be on the receiving end of this heavy medical care, and relentless attention. She’s struggling to eat as this progresses.

She is strong.

The magnitude of facing cancer at her age has not only frightened her but plunged her into this deep pain. This diagnosis has not only stunned us, but also our entire family back in Kenya. It has jolted the wholesome joy we experienced at the wedding to one of fear, despair and unrelenting uncertainty. We are at a standstill.

But for now we must deal with the situation and take the next urgent steps, which are to start the six week radiotherapy sessions as soon as possible. But we can not do that without funds. Sending my mum for treatment back to Kenya is not an option, and would be no cheaper. Meanwhile my dad is at home, anxious and fearfully saddened.

Those of us who enjoy the privilege of the NHS and the security it provides can have no idea how financially crippling ill health is in the many countries that do not. The struggle to plead for money, first from family, then friends and finally banks and loan sharks, at astronomic interest rates, knowing the debts incurred are beyond your capacity to repay, hundreds of times your monthly wage. This is the price of health, of love. We can thank God we are not tested in this way.

Now I too am faced with this very harsh reality and humbly appeal for any help you can afford to give.

Kindly help me weather this storm together. Sharing this appeal with just three of your friends and family, will help me achieve the goal, of the medical care and associated expenses.

Let’s give mum another chance at life. Be very Blessed.

Thank you,

Joanne, Myra & Cilla