Part of my journey is not leaving any stone unturned with regards to treatment. To do this it mainly involves taking a personalised, ‘adaptive’ approach where tailored combinations of treatments adapt as the cancers evolve, uniquely for every patient. This is at the forefront of new research, treatment and trials options across the world. 

Devastatingly what I have learnt since I was first diagnosed only a few days before Xmas 2018, is that the vast majority of these cutting edge options and trials for ALL cancers, not just brain cancer, aren't yet available in the UK and therefore most people are unable to access them which actually translates, shockingly, to the UK having one of the worst prognosis results for many cancers within the developed world.

For me, luckily, I am in a very fortunate position to have access to some of these options and even just advice available in other countries which apart from making me so emotional at how grateful I am it also makes me feel very guilty and desperately sad that others can’t.

Before she died from Glioblastoma herself, Dame Tessa Jowell set up a charity with her daughter Jess Mills and Dr Jack Kreindler called ACT For Cancer which was created to deliver her legacy by enabling new ways of delivering the most cutting edge treatment and care to ALL cancer patients facing progressive, effectively untreatable cancer throughout the NHS, so the best can be made available to everyone not just people like me. To read more about ACT and to hear Dame Jowell’s final speech in parliament which she used to talk about how appalling the situation here is, visit https://www.actforcancer.org.uk . 

In short ACT For Cancer aims to make the UK have universal access to the very best, to become the smartest place in the world to get treated or for at least research to happen for currently more or less untreatable cancers like half of all cancer patients will eventually face. They have a new training programme for UK Oncologists to be trained to be the best in the world, and new science collaborations rarely seen in research. Eventually they will bring the same model to all cancers, to give hope to all patients with this currently incurable disease. There’s also a recent article in WIRED that explains a bit about what this approach means, https://www.wired.com/story/cancer-treatment-darwin-evolution/.

So whilst I’m not asking for help to pay for my own treatment I am asking for help in raising awareness of ACT For Cancer and their mission and if possible for a donation, however much you can afford, to help them with their cause. As 1 in 2 people will be affected by cancer in the UK just think how you’ll be investing in your life or someone very close to you and our future generations actual lives too. 

For a little more information on me personally, just one of my treatment options means I have to shave my head completely which some people do purely to raise money for charity anyway so whilst I have to do it, I feel it’s ok to raise money for this charity at the same time. More information on me can be found on my blog www.bottlemeupbuttercup.com . 

I will also be donating my long hair, which has been such a major part of my physical identity for so long, to another charity, Little Princess Trust, that makes wigs for children with cancer. My own dream from all of what is happening to me is that it can be a perfect example of how we can all help each other at some point in our lives.

Thank you so much in advance and above all please remember how precious we, our health and how caring for each other regardless if we’re strangers or not, really are.