Help Katherine (and Poppy) Beat Cancer

"There were heaving sobs when I found out my diagnosis. Utter shock.

Somehow I held it together, alone due to Covid restrictions. But then all I wanted was to get in a taxi, to hell with the cost, and to be home, to be alone with my grief. My fear.

Before all worries for others, I cried for myself, for what I will need to go through, for the strength I will need to find again. I cried for my youth – yes, vainly lamenting the likely loss of a breast. And harsh treatments that will no doubt age me and maybe cause me to lose my hair.

Unwanted images of my own funeral would appear. People said to stay positive. But at that early point in particular, the images would come unbidden.

The most emotional moments for me have been in relation to my daughter – will I be there for her? I have to be there for her. Going to a dance class, I hold back tears as I question if I’ll be able to take her during treatments. Will I be too tired? When she is a tantruming, demanding toddler, I worry how I will cope and find the energy? I see a mother and a 9 or 10-year old chatting merrily in the street and I want to cry – I want that, I want to be there for her for that."

(Excerpted from Katherine's diary, May 2021)

Katherine's battle with cancer began in April of 2021 with a lump in her breast, when her daughter Poppy was only three years old. That first fight lasted just over a year, and included:

- Over 60 trips to the hospital

- 4 surgeries

- 1 emergency surgery due to a cut artery, losing over 25% of her blood

- 8 high-dose fortnightly chemo sessions, plus 1 with an allergic reaction

- 15 radiotherapy sessions every weekday whilst having COVID

And all while continuing to work and to look after her three-year-old daughter, with all that entails.

Amazingly, having lost her hair, her breast and much of her health, Katherine was discharged in May of 2022, with only additional breast reconstruction surgery yet to come in January 2023.

The worst seemed to be past.

But then, in November 2023, seemingly out of nowhere the cancer had returned. This time it had metastasized to her spine, skull, pelvis, ribs, eye and possibly even the lining of the brain at an alarming rate. The diagnosis was Stage IV cancer, a terrible blow.

"Hi dear friends, how, where to start…? I suppose by simply telling you that my cancer has returned. It is news that I have been adjusting to since early-mid November. I had some sudden blurred vision in my left eye and, acting fast, we discovered that I had a tumour there.

This led to multiple body scans at the Royal Marsden in Sutton, which show that my breast cancer has decided to reappear in multiple bones (spine, skull, pelvis etc..). My actual brain is so far clear, although there are some early signs in my brain lining/fluid, which they are currently unsure about.

This is stage IV cancer, so the prognosis is not good and I was told I might have a few months to a couple of years left to live. It was a horrible, upsetting, terrible shock.

Since then, it has been a whirlwind of emotions, scans, medical appointments, a spinal lumbar puncture that caused pressure headaches that required me to lay flat 90% of the time for 5/6 days and saw me in A&E for 2 days to get it fixed.

This was all followed by 5 days of eye radiotherapy to hopefully restore my full vision (that’s the photo you can see).

During all of this there have been Mummy duties, Poppy’s 6th birthday and masterminding Christmas for her. So it’s honestly felt like a lot…"

So, this is where Katherine finds herself now: a single mother with a now 6-year old daughter, fighting literally for her life.

It will come as no surprise to anyone who knows Katherine well, that she isn't giving up. The NHS see this is as terminal prognosis: Katherine aims to prove them wrong, saying, "I REJECT THE WORD ‘INCURABLE’!’

As such, she is doing everything she can in terms of alternative treatments, therapies and diet in addition to her medical regime. Her integrative approach of chemotherapy, nutrition and additional private health treatments including IV drips and extra blood tests have already shown some promising results with her cancer cell numbers dropping, a fantastic step in the right direction. Research has long proved that a positive approach is associated with better medical outcomes, and as Katherine is the most positive person most of us know, we also believe that if anyone can beat the odds, she can.

But this is where we need your help. The financial implications of being a single mother battling a life-threatening cancer are now hitting hard.

Katherine is forever grateful for the expert care and help provided by the NHS, but the expenses associated with additional treatment, travel to and from hospital, and of course the normal bills and expenses of day-to-day life are now becoming unmanageable alone. From November to January the costs have amounted to £6,146, including blood tests, health supplements and the vital drips. Those costs are only going to continue this year.

Katherine was just trying to build up her work again post-birth, post-Covid, post-breast cancer when this second cancer blow struck, which means she has not had time to get ahead again financially and is now facing an even more difficult situation.

Katherine used up most of her savings during her first cancer episode to cover bills and expenses when she was unable to work as much. Being freelance makes this situation incredibly tough, as she has no access to private healthcare, paid sick leave, or a guaranteed monthly salary - things that many of us take for granted.

We, Katherine's friends, are now raising money to help her through this great challenge, so that she can spend more time with Poppy and hopefully see her grow up to be a young woman.

Any donations you are willing to make will go directly towards offsetting the financial impact of:

• Reduced working time for Katherine as she manages her energy to attend the multiple treatments and appointments, and deal with the side effects of the medication.

• Support with household bills and living costs due to reduced income.

• Extra blood tests, IV drips and health supplements

• Travel costs for regular hospital appointments and treatment sessions.

Katherine and Poppy would like to thank everyone for being so supportive during their time of need. While many have expressed a desire to donate funds, she also understands that we are still in a cost-of-living crisis and knows that there are many other ways to show love and support beyond the financial, which are no less important to her.

Whether you can donate or not, your support means everything.