Ashley S

A light so bright, a love so pure, a spirit that will never fade. On Friday night 24/10/25 , our beautiful mum Erika took her final breath while we held her hand, surrounded by family, love, and peace. Even in her last moments, she radiated the same warmth, strength, and grace that she carried through her entire life. Mum wasn’t just our mother — she was the heartbeat of our family. She loved with a depth that words can’t touch, and she lived with a joy that could fill any room. Her laughter was infectious, her hugs healing, and her dancing — oh, how she danced — will forever be one of the most beautiful memories we hold onto. She was vibrant, colourful, and full of light. She faced stage 4 cancer with unimaginable courage. Through every battle, she still smiled. Through every pain, she still cared for others. She never gave up — not on life, not on love, and never on us. Now, as we prepare to lay her to rest, we want to give her the farewell she truly deserves — one that reflects who she was: beautiful, radiant, and full of life. No black, no mourning — just colour, music, and love, exactly as she would have wanted. This GoFundMe has been created to help ease the financial burden of Mum’s funeral costs and to also support our dad, who has lost the love of his life and is navigating this heartbreak one day at a time. He was by her side every step of the way — caring for her, loving her, and holding her hand through the storm. Any contribution, no matter how small, will go towards helping us honour her memory the way she deserves and to help Dad through this incredibly difficult time. If you’re unable to donate, your prayers, love, and sharing of this page mean more than we can ever express. Our hearts are broken, but our love for her is eternal. Mum’s spirit will live on in every laugh, every song, and every ray of sunlight that warms our faces. She will forever be our guiding light. Thank you, from the depths of our hearts, Ashleigh & Family

Time is running out. The cancer has now spread to her head and lungs. We are desperately asking for help to give her comfort, stability, and a chance to keep fighting — with dignity, naturally, and surrounded by love. My name is Ashleigh. I’m a daughter, and I’m writing this with the kind of heaviness that’s hard to describe — but I’m also writing with love, with faith, and with a fierce hope that someone reading this will help us keep my mum alive. My mum, Erika, 63 years old — and she’s so much more than a cancer patient. She’s a mother, a grandmother, a sister, a best friend, and the absolute heart of our family. She’s the one we all turn to when life gets hard. She’s selfless, radiant, and the kind of person who still manages to smile even while in pain. She is, quite simply, the strongest woman I’ve ever known. And she is fighting for her life. ⸻ The Diagnosis That Changed Everything In 2022, Mum started having intense stomach pain and noticed a lump. She did what any of us would do — she went to her GP. But instead of care, she was met with dismissal. Her symptoms were brushed off as menopause. She was told it was “just her age.” But Mum knew something was wrong. She trusted her body more than the words of someone who barely looked at her. She kept pushing — and finally, after enough persistence, she got the tests she needed. That’s when we were told the words that stop time: “It’s bowel cancer.” What followed was a whirlwind — and a nightmare. Mum was rushed into emergency surgery for a bowel obstruction. During the operation, they discovered affected lymph nodes. The cancer had already spread to her liver and bloodstream. Stage 4. There’s no way to sugar-coat those words. They take your breath. They change everything. ⸻ Treatment — And the Trauma It Left Behind Mum was offered chemotherapy — the “only” option. She said yes. She wanted to fight. She endured round after round of chemo through a PICC line… until it caused a dangerous blood clot. Another surgery followed. The line was removed, and a portacath was inserted in her chest. But nothing about this journey was simple. Over time, the port began to move. The site swelled. Her pain intensified. Eventually, the port was surgically removed too — but by then, the damage had been done. Nerve damage. Partial paralysis in her legs. Hair loss. Fatigue. Chronic migraines. Emotional trauma. She had given everything to fight this disease… and it kept taking from her. ⸻ Choosing to Live – Not Just Survive With her body exhausted and her spirit fragile, Mum made the most courageous decision of all: She stopped chemotherapy. She chose quality of life. She chose to be present. She chose joy — not just survival. We turned to natural, integrative treatments. And for a while, Mum was stable. She had more good days. She smiled more. She laughed again. She danced with her grandkids. We got glimpses of her again. Real glimpses. That time — however brief — was a gift we will always treasure. ⸻ But Cancer Doesn’t Rest Earlier this year, Mum began experiencing a familiar, dreadful pain in her abdomen. It was happening again. This time, scans showed new growths and affected lymph nodes — and an ultrasound revealed multiple gallstones. The doctors said they couldn’t operate. The cancer had spread too far. Surgery would risk everything. But that wasn’t the worst of it. ⸻ When Numbness Becomes Fear Nine weeks ago, Mum started getting severe headaches and numbness in her face. We feared a stroke. She was taken for a CT scan. The results came back — “no brain growth” — and her symptoms were blamed on a sinus blockage. They handed her antibiotics. And that was it. No follow-up. No action. Just dismissal. Again. Her own GP refused to refer her. Told her: “She has cancer — what are they going to do for her?” Can you imagine hearing that? Not just as a patient — but as a mother? A grandmother? A woman who still wants to live? The system failed her. But we will not. We demanded a PET scan through palliative care. We fought. We begged. And on 03/07, we got the results: ⸻ The Cancer Has Now Spread to Her Lungs and her bone in her head in her sinus This was the news we never wanted to hear. This is the moment that shook us to our core. Mum is now in pain every day. The headaches. The numbness. The weakness. She’s lost so much weight. Her body is tired. But her soul is still fighting. ⸻ What We’re Asking From You — From the Bottom of Our Hearts We’ve found another intense natural treatment that we truly believe could help extend her life — and improve her quality of life now. But we can’t get there alone. Right now, we’re spending around $400 every few weeks on medications, natural therapies, and support treatments that are keeping her stable. Mum is on a pension. We’ve exhausted our resources — emotionally, physically, financially. We are simply out of options — except one: Asking you. — Please… Help Us Give Mum Time Time to hold her grandbabies. Time to watch her children grow. Time to laugh again. Dance again. Be Erika again. Even just a little more time. If you’ve ever lost someone too soon… If you’ve ever felt helpless watching someone suffer… If you’ve ever wondered what you’d do if it were your mum… Now you know. This is it. We are still fighting for her life — and we are asking, with every piece of our hearts: Will you fight with us? Every dollar helps. Every share matters. Every message lifts us up. Please, don’t scroll past this. Please stand with us. With love, hope, and deepest thanks, Ashleigh & Family For Erika — Our Warrior