Tierney Kinsella's life saving cancer treatment
In 2015 I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, an aggressive teenage bone cancer. I had 8 months of intense chemotherapy, surgery to remove the tumour in my femur bone, a knee replacement and prosthesis.
I found out in November 2016 I had many small nodules in my lungs which were were removed with surgery. After that everything was fine until September 2017 when I found out my cancer had returned and I had two large tumours in my lungs. I had yet again more intense chemotherapy, and one third of my lung removed in order to remove my tumours.
In April 2018, after two and a half years, I thought this would finally be the end and I could have my life back. However, in September 2018 I found out my cancer had come back again and was inoperable.
I am currently having chemotherapy, and I'm on a trial drug which is keeping everything stable - for now. However, I have been advised by an oncologist in America that specialised immunotherapy vaccines could be life saving for me. This treatment is in Germany and it is very expensive, which is why I desperately need to raise the money.
Even if you can't donate anything please share this, I would be so grateful.
Thank you.
Love Tierney x
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I found out in November 2016 I had many small nodules in my lungs which were were removed with surgery. After that everything was fine until September 2017 when I found out my cancer had returned and I had two large tumours in my lungs. I had yet again more intense chemotherapy, and one third of my lung removed in order to remove my tumours.
In April 2018, after two and a half years, I thought this would finally be the end and I could have my life back. However, in September 2018 I found out my cancer had come back again and was inoperable.
I am currently having chemotherapy, and I'm on a trial drug which is keeping everything stable - for now. However, I have been advised by an oncologist in America that specialised immunotherapy vaccines could be life saving for me. This treatment is in Germany and it is very expensive, which is why I desperately need to raise the money.
Even if you can't donate anything please share this, I would be so grateful.
Thank you.
Love Tierney x
Hello everyone,
This is a long update but I hope you understand that I don’t feel up to doing a video at the moment. I am sorry that I haven’t let you know what has been going on for a while, but things haven’t been the best for me recently, and it has taken me a bit of time to get my head around things. Unfortunately the drug keeping everything stable isn’t working for me and I am no longer allowed to be on the trial. I have had a lot of pain in my back where a tumour is pressing on a nerve. This became a lot worse in Barcelona on a photography trip and to be honest I don’t know how I managed to get through it. I won’t be taking my photography A Level as I haven’t been able to commit the time that I needed to. I had a lot of catching up to do, and had missed so much school due to having the chemotherapy on the trial for 5 cycles. I have been in so much pain, and have been sleeping upright on the sofa on lots of pillows for the last 8 weeks as it’s too uncomfortable to lie down. My mum and sister have been taking it in turns to sleep downstairs with me. My pain relief is mostly under control now. Please don’t feel sorry for me, I just wanted to tell you what’s been happening. My tumour is being analysed in Germany and the results will be back very soon. I need everything to be stable before I can start any immunotherapy vaccines, and we are looking at different trials in the meantime. We have been in contact with a clinic in Santa Monica and my oncologist is based near by. I will update you as soon as I have more news. There are lots of treatments abroad that unfortunately the NHS just doesn’t have the funding to help with. This is why I set up my gofundme page. I cried when it reached £300 as I was so overwhelmed, and still can’t believe it went viral, and £100,000 was raised in 48 hours! It has been the most surreal time ever, with friends, family and all of you wonderful people who had watched my video and donated. My family and I are truly grateful for the response and the money raised will help me get the treatment I desperately need. I was part of a podcast at the BBC, talking about childhood cancer for You, Me and the Big C and met some truly amazing people.
We have been involved with many fundraising events just recently, as so many kind people have wanted to raise money for my treatment. The football fundraiser at Ware FC in which Teddy Sheringham played was such a special day for me. ((BOUNCE)) held a 3 hour fitness event at my school Presdales, and it looked so much fun! The Art Shed had a pottery event, The Shire Beauty Training Group donated their profits for a day and Hanbury Manor organised a sponsored walk and auction. Deeper Sounds had a ‘Party for a Purpose’ at the White Hart and so many DJ’s, along with Majestic, gave their time for free. I had such a good night being with my friends that night, and at ‘Tierney’s Party’ and also at the Quiz Night held at Wodson Park. The Lord Haig had a live music event, where again musicians gave their time for free. Another fundraiser is being held on the 19th May at the Corn Exchange, with a lot of the singers/bands that played at the Lord Haig giving their time again for free. This means so much to me.
Thank you to everyone who has organised and helped raise vital funds for me, and businesses such as Tesco that have donated prizes. Thank you also to the people who have had cakes sales, and thank you to the local schools that have had non school uniform days. I know that Pinewood had a rainbow themed day as rainbows are so special to me. We are so overwhelmed by everyone’s help.
Please keep sharing my story, from the bottom of my heart it means the absolute world to me that so many people care.
Love Tierney xxx
This is a long update but I hope you understand that I don’t feel up to doing a video at the moment. I am sorry that I haven’t let you know what has been going on for a while, but things haven’t been the best for me recently, and it has taken me a bit of time to get my head around things. Unfortunately the drug keeping everything stable isn’t working for me and I am no longer allowed to be on the trial. I have had a lot of pain in my back where a tumour is pressing on a nerve. This became a lot worse in Barcelona on a photography trip and to be honest I don’t know how I managed to get through it. I won’t be taking my photography A Level as I haven’t been able to commit the time that I needed to. I had a lot of catching up to do, and had missed so much school due to having the chemotherapy on the trial for 5 cycles. I have been in so much pain, and have been sleeping upright on the sofa on lots of pillows for the last 8 weeks as it’s too uncomfortable to lie down. My mum and sister have been taking it in turns to sleep downstairs with me. My pain relief is mostly under control now. Please don’t feel sorry for me, I just wanted to tell you what’s been happening. My tumour is being analysed in Germany and the results will be back very soon. I need everything to be stable before I can start any immunotherapy vaccines, and we are looking at different trials in the meantime. We have been in contact with a clinic in Santa Monica and my oncologist is based near by. I will update you as soon as I have more news. There are lots of treatments abroad that unfortunately the NHS just doesn’t have the funding to help with. This is why I set up my gofundme page. I cried when it reached £300 as I was so overwhelmed, and still can’t believe it went viral, and £100,000 was raised in 48 hours! It has been the most surreal time ever, with friends, family and all of you wonderful people who had watched my video and donated. My family and I are truly grateful for the response and the money raised will help me get the treatment I desperately need. I was part of a podcast at the BBC, talking about childhood cancer for You, Me and the Big C and met some truly amazing people.
We have been involved with many fundraising events just recently, as so many kind people have wanted to raise money for my treatment. The football fundraiser at Ware FC in which Teddy Sheringham played was such a special day for me. ((BOUNCE)) held a 3 hour fitness event at my school Presdales, and it looked so much fun! The Art Shed had a pottery event, The Shire Beauty Training Group donated their profits for a day and Hanbury Manor organised a sponsored walk and auction. Deeper Sounds had a ‘Party for a Purpose’ at the White Hart and so many DJ’s, along with Majestic, gave their time for free. I had such a good night being with my friends that night, and at ‘Tierney’s Party’ and also at the Quiz Night held at Wodson Park. The Lord Haig had a live music event, where again musicians gave their time for free. Another fundraiser is being held on the 19th May at the Corn Exchange, with a lot of the singers/bands that played at the Lord Haig giving their time again for free. This means so much to me.
Thank you to everyone who has organised and helped raise vital funds for me, and businesses such as Tesco that have donated prizes. Thank you also to the people who have had cakes sales, and thank you to the local schools that have had non school uniform days. I know that Pinewood had a rainbow themed day as rainbows are so special to me. We are so overwhelmed by everyone’s help.
Please keep sharing my story, from the bottom of my heart it means the absolute world to me that so many people care.
Love Tierney xxx
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