Our Original Just Giving page <-- Please click this link to view our original Just Giving page.

My beautiful, kind, lovely Mum has been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer, metastatic ocular melanoma.

In 2009, at just 35 years old my Mum found out she had ocular melanoma in her left eye. She had her whole eye removed, leaving her completely blind in her left eye.

We were told that if the cancer were to return it would most likely go to her liver and this happens in 50% of people that get ocular melanoma.

Thirteen years later, in October 2022, my Mum had her yearly liver scan. Something that she was told was no longer necessary but she was persistent with doctors she still wanted to have.

Tragically, the scan showed that the melanoma my Mum was diagnosed with thirteen years ago has returned and metastasised to her liver. This is considered stage 4, incurable cancer.

Almost all cancer treatments are completely ineffective in metastatic ocular melanoma.

My Mum was offered immunotherapy at Southampton General Hospital with the aim of trying to control the tumours in order to give my Mum more time. Sadly, as it does with many other patients, the immunotherapy made her very unwell and her liver was unable to cope and started to fail. My Mum has been told she cannot have any more immunotherapy treatment and there are no other available treatment options. She was treated with steroids and immunosuppressants to try and counteract the damage the immunotherapy has done to her liver. Thankfully she is feeling a lot better now that her liver is starting to recover from the immunotherapy, however the cancer continues to grow rapidly.

To look at my Mum, you would never know what she is going through. She is 49 years old and she is as healthy and active as she has been her whole life. My Mum has so much life to live but is being told there is nothing that can be done to help her. Doctors have told her that she has just 6-12 months to live.

There is a revolutionary treatment, Chemosaturation that has been shown to be affective in treating metastatic ocular melanoma but it is not available on the NHS.

We need a minimum of £120,000 for three rounds of treatment.

Since March this year, thanks to the amazing kindness and generosity of people, we have raised enough for two treatments meaning my Mum has started treatmen and is doing really well. We need to raise a further £3000 for the third treatment.

Unfortunately, our original Just Giving page expired after three months so I have had to set up this new one to raise the remaining funds.

We raised an incredible £81,846 from the original page along with further donations outside of the page. My Mum also opted to withdraw her pensions early to use this money towards her treatment. We need to raise the final £3000 as soon as possible to ensure my Mum can complete the recommended three rounds of Chemosaturation before the cancer spreads .

We would be so incredibly grateful if you are able to support us in funding this treatment for my Mum. Anyone that knows my Mum knows what a beautiful, kind, and lovely person she is. She is only 48 years old. She is the most amazing mum to me, my sister, my two teenage brothers, and our three little dogs that adore her so much! We need her here with us. She has so much life to live and love to give.

Some information about Chemosaturation:

I can’t imagine life without my Mum. This is our biggest hope of keeping her here with us where she belongs.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

Emma

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