NeuroEndocrine Tumous - NETs are rare slow-growing cancers that affect your neuroendocrine cells. Neuroendocrine cells are found all over the body, in organs such as the stomach, bowel, pancreas and lungs. They can be difficult to diagnose, as they may not cause symptoms for several years. But some NETs grow faster and are more likely to spread to surrounding tissues and parts of the body.

Our Mum was diagnosed with NETs cancer and was determined to fight this. She bravely took all treatment offered, including travelling to Upsalla in Sweden to receive pioneering radiation treatment. She travelled during a pandemic, chasing her hope of recovery. She desperately wanted to stay with us.

Unlike some other cancer patients Mum didn’t get delivered an outline of life expectancy, so she was living for every day, battling with courage, faith and looking forward to all that she had planned. The unknown was scary but Mum was strong and brave.

I travelled to Dublin planning on spending just a day with Mum as she had been admitted to hospital, but never got that evening flight back to Edinburgh, instead devastatingly watched my beautiful mum slip away from me hour by hour. Within 3 days it was goodbye forever. She deteriorated so quickly my brother arrived from Australia after she had passed.

A year on, on October 29th, I am running 2023 Dublin City Marathon to raise awareness of NETs and to celebrate our Mums amazing life. Mum has made my brother and I the people that we are today. She was immensely proud of us both, I want to continue to make her proud.

I know that times are hard and finances are tight, but please if you can, donate to my Just Giving page. The money raised will go to the Irish Cancer Society who support families affected by cancer and undertake vital research to help drive a future without cancer. My Mum was robbed of her time with her Family, Partner and Friends. I hope advancing research can prevent another family experiencing our loss.