In August 2020 my mum had an operation to remove a suspicious lump on her appendix which was found during a routine hysterectomy. A week after the operation my mum deteriorated overnight and it turned out to be septic shock from undiagnosed sepsis. She spent a week in a sedated coma in ICU, followed by a further 3 months in hospital recovering from the surgical complication. She also had to learn to live with a stoma.

Whilst in hospital tests were run on the suspicious lump and it was found to be stage 4 cancer of the bowel. During her 3 month hospital stay it was also discovered the cancer had spread to the womb and liver. The cancer was a rare aggressive type called Neuroendocrine.

My mum left hospital November 2020 and following a referral with Sheffield Hospital, on November 18th she was given the terminal diagnosis. 12-18 months survival with chemo or up to 12 months without chemo. She opted for no chemo given the timeframes.

My mum spent the last week of her life in Barnsley Hospice. She was referred there for pain management but she deteriorated quickly in the last week and passed away on 5th January 2021, 7 weeks after her terminal diagnosis. 

Barnsley hospice made my mums last week the most comfortable it could have ever been. It was found out during the week the cancer had spread further to the peritoneum so they knew how much pain my mum was in. This was my first experience with a hospice and all the staff showed more compassion than I'd ever experienced.

Any donations help the hospice continue to give care to patients and support to their families. So after applying for a ballot place as a joke and actually getting a place, I'm running the London marathon. I'm not a runner so this is the biggest challenge I've done but I want to raise money for Barnsley hospice and in memory of my mum as people face bigger challenges daily.

This one's for you mum x