Donna’s fight

Hi my name is Kerry, my sister (Donna) is suffering from stage 4 metastasis bowel cancer that has now spread to her brain. She has been failed on so many occasions with misdiagnosis and delays in getting the testing she needed. Please take the time to read our story and help Donna to receive the best possible care to be with her children for as long as she can. Help Donna and her children to make magical memories they will cherish forever.

My sister has always tried to stay very healthy. She was a keen runner, has never smoked and doesn’t drink alcohol. 2 years ago Donna started experiencing all the symptoms of bowel cancer. After 9 months of extreme suffering and many Dr appointments and being misdiagnosed each time, Donna saw a lovely Paramedic practitioner at her surgery who immediately requested blood tests, stool sample and a colonoscopy (all of which the GP should have arranged 9 months earlier when the symptoms first started). It was then confirmed that my beautiful young sister and mother to 4 children, had stage 4 metastatic bowel cancer.

The cancer had already spread to the liver, lymph nodes and bones. Donna immediately started chemotherapy and had an operation to prevent her pelvis from braking. After extensive treatment things seemed to be working and she was able to continue being the most amazing mother to her children. In June 2024, Donna started getting pain in her head, vomiting, dizziness (all the symptoms indicating the cancer may have spread to the brain).

Once again after lots of visits to her Gp and attending accident and emergency 3 times, my sister was failed again being misdiagnosed with migraines despite health care professionals being made aware of the stage 4 metastasis bowel cancer. 2 days after her last visit to A and E and being sent home again with a migraine, I visited my sister straight from work to find her unable to walk, unable to talk, vomiting, extreme head pain and unable to stand daylight. We took her into hospital straight away, I am not normally a pushy person but I did request an immediate head scan and explained that we are not getting fobbed off anymore! The consultant was very good and agreed, the appropriate tests were done and it was confirmed that the cancer had spread to the brain. The brain tumour was quite large with the swelling on the brain causing the symptoms. If the appropriate testing was performed when the symptoms started the tumour and swelling would not have been this severe. All emotions were experienced by family including anger due to the misdiagnosis yet again.

Donnas cancer specialist gave her all the options of possible surgery, radiotherapy and the option of just making her comfortable but she would have died within weeks. Doing nothing was not an option for Donna. She had only just turned 41 , her youngest son is only 11. She still has so much to fight and live for. 2 weeks later the brain tumour was removed, any possible remaining tumour was dealt with by radiotherapy and we had the amazing news that the brain tumour was completely gone. Despite being misdiagnosed several times, being told she was too young to develop bowel cancer resulting in a life changing delayed diagnosis, Donna took everything in her stride, her attitude towards treatment, other people and life in general is outstanding. She was no longer able to drive but that was ok as she is still here for her children. All she had ever wanted in life is to be a good mum and raise her children.

Head scan and general monitoring was every 12 weeks. On 2nd January 2025 (only 6 months after having the brain tumour removed) Donna became unwell again with very familiar symptoms. The cancer is now back in her brain.

Donna has been failed in so many ways on so many occasions, she deserves the best possible cancer treatment with no further delays. Donna deserves to be here and be a mother to her 4 children for as long as she can. Please, please, please help to get my sister the best possible treatment at this very terminal stage of cancer. Help Donna to live the best possible life that she has left with her family. Help Donna’s children to make magical memories that they will cherish forever while their mum is still well enough to do a few simple things. Even the smallest donation will help make the biggest impact.