Anna’s Recovery “The Mother of all Surgeries”

We have put this GO FUND ME together for our dear friend Anna Wilson. Here is a bit of her story….Anna is our friend from high school, she will be 42 at the end of July, she is married to an amazingly supportive husband called Craig and has a 7 year old daughter called Abi.

Anna has just been diagnosed with Cancer for the 3rd time. 10 years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent chemotherapy, lost all her hair and had a double mastectomy. Anna was lucky enough to fall pregnant through IVF after all of her treatment and was blessed with her gorgeous little girl, Abigail.

2 years ago she lost her Mum to cancer, Pip was 63 and Anna’s biggest support.

3 months later Anna was diagnosed with Stage 3 Bowel Cancer, she was very sick, had some major surgeries and underwent chemotherapy for the second time.

Although manageable, there has been long-lasting neuropathy in her hands and feet. But, overall things went well and she was cancer free after treatment - yay!! Anna would continue to have regular scans to monitor how things were going.

After 10 months off treatment, Drs unfortunately found a spot on her peritoneum which has resulted in a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis. The positive news is it is still localised and there were options.

The treatment for this next stage is a large operation with a long recovery.

The procedure is called a Peritonectomy and HIPEC - essentially a 10hr operation where the surgeon will take out all high-risk tissue and organs and then do a hot flush of chemo, all while Anna is asleep.

From Anna’s words

“This procedure will hopefully wipe my slate clean (as words used by my surgeon) and get me back onto a Cancer free life.

I’m booked in for surgery on 20th June, following surgery I’ll be in ICU for a couple of days, in the ward for around 3wks and then a long recovery at home.. I’ll be taking 6 months off work to concentrate on getting better.

So not the best news but this surgery will give me the outcome I want - to be cancer free (again)!! The other option of being told my disease is too far progressed and I couldn’t have the surgery isn’t worth thinking about…

I am focused on getting through the surgery, getting home from hospital and recovering. I want to continue to be the best mum I can and although the road is tough at times (probably will be the single hardest thing I have ever done) there is light at the end of the tunnel”

Anna works for a great company who are allowing her to take the required 6 months off to recover, although the majority of this time will be unpaid leave, this is where we can help!

As Anna mentions, her main focus continues to be getting better and being the best mum she can.

So instead of buying meal vouchers or organisation of a home cleaner. Anna and her family would appreciate a donation to ensure Abi can keep attending all the things she wants to, the bills get paid and hopefully have the extra ability to make some fun family memories can be made along the way

Please dig deep and help Anna and her family in any way you can xx