Support for 26yr old Maria with stage 4 cancer.

Hi my name is Maria and  I am 26 old,  I was unexpectedly diagnosed  with colorectal cancer in December 2017 whilst on holiday with mum in Uganda. You can imagine how stressful and distressing the experience of having to have major emergency abdominal surgery,  in an unfamiliar country with a limited health care system was.  

This was after me visiting the GP and A&E 4 times seeking treatment for symptoms of bloating, difficulty in passing gas and intense painful stomach cramps throughout the year. Nearly every single doctor  I saw diagnosed me with Irritable bowel syndrome. Maybe to their defence, they thought I was too young to have cancer so they didn’t do any extended tests . In Uganda, the cost  of finding  an adequate hospital with a reputable surgeon was high and had to be paid for upfront. As I was just starting my working career , I didn’t have a lot of savings so family and friends helped out a lot until we arrived back in the UK.


March 2018 after endless  CT and PET scans a biopsy revealed that I had advanced colorectal cancer metastases to the liver, pelvis and peritoneum. I was told that Its inoperable  and so a course of palliative chemotherapy was started in hope of shrinking the tumours therefore reducing the symptoms bought on by the cancer. Chemotherapy seemed to be working.

However , around September  2018 I started having intense pelvic pain and on top of that CT  scans started showing that I had a build up of fluid around my ovaries. I just knew something wasn’t right- And was right!

Since the start of 2019, things have taken for the worst. I am admitted to hospital every other week. In February 2019 , I had a guided biopsy which revealed that I had new tumours in my ovaries and Fallopian tube. Again only palliative chemotherapy can be given. We are now seeking a second opinion.

Now to my reason for raising money , I have a very supportive family whom I have been relying  on heavily for financial support. This has put a strain on their finances. On top of that , they had to change their hours of work to look after me. As I get sicker, things are becoming very difficult for us. We don’t know where to seek help! And a lot of financial help is needed as I have siblings.


I know that this cancer will kill me however I need more time and some financial support. Time to make some memories with my family and friends.  I would love to go on holiday with my family and friends one last time- For once it would be great to not have that taken away by cancer. I would like to give my MUM a break and thank her for looking after me.  I suppose also help out a bit with they debt.

Also , I ask humbly if any of you know of any treatment or can provide me with advice please, please help.

As a young person, I have come to terms that I will never have kids, never grow old or even get married. My life is different to my age  mates and I have to accept that but please help me have one last bit of happiness to look forward to.


This is also a message to younger people like me if you’re experiencing the same symptoms as me ,please push to see a specialist and make sure you have extended tests before its too late. Cancer can be treated if caught early.

May God bless you.

Maria.