Help Rita get life saving cancer treatment

My name is James and I’m the husband of this incredible woman. This is Rita’s story…. At age 48 and living her best life, Rita received a devastating diagnosis of advanced stage 3 metastatic Breast Cancer on Jan 5th, 2021. She had multiple tumours and was diagnosed with what’s called multifocal disease. The cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes. Her life as she knew it ended overnight. She took the treatment on bravely, which wasn’t easy as we were in full lockdown, and the supporting services normally offered to Cancer patients weren’t available. She completed 8 heavy Chemo protocols over six months, then had to endure radical surgery, which has left her with reduced mobility, nerve damage, and she is in constant pain. 45 sessions of Radiotherapy followed shortly after, which left her skin burnt and painful. During this gruelling regime she was also on three weekly painful injections of an immunotherapy drug which made her unwell and caused more pain.

Me and the kids watched as she courageously took all this on and, for 15 months remained positive and hopeful it would all be worth it. Good pathology and clear scans helped us remain hopeful, and no matter how difficult the treatment and side effects were, Rita kept going. After 15 months and still in treatment, we received the devastating news that the Cancer had recurred and it had changed character. It was now a more aggressive form of this metastatic disease. Rita was REDIAGNOSED with STAGE 4 SECONDARY BREAST CANCER. Again, she had to receive this devastating news alone.

She was told her life would be shortened and that the disease is incurable but she refused and refuses still to allow doctors to put an expected end of life on her because no doctor is God and she has a strong determination to still beat this disease. Her strong belief has got her this far. The sad reality is they aren’t trying to come up with a treatment for secondary breast cancer and it reoccurred in the most challenging of places to treat, the skin.

In 2022, we self-funded a treatment plan in an alternative hospital, but the cancer continued to spread. Rita got to experience being treated in a hospital that uses not only allopathic and alternative treatments alongside a focus on the spiritual side of healing. We continue to ask for positive intention and prayers as it’s our belief that we need more than medicine to heal. Rita continues to support herself holistically whilst continuing palliative chemotherapy. Unfortunately, we are only offered palliative care in the UK and it’s failing and she’s getting more ill.

Rita was hospitalised many times over the past few years and neutropenic sepsis in 2022 left Rita with lymphedema in her left arm and further nerve damage occurred. She has limited use of her left hand and arm and has limited feeling in her right hand all due to the treatment she has endured to beat this disease. She has also spent some time in Hospice care. She wants to work with a medical team who are not negative and will fight alongside her.

After lots of research and studying we have identified a number of clinics who may be able to help her. She has been working at building herself back up to live with this disease until she is cured. However, the treatment plan she is currently on is causing more damage and recently she has suffered lung damage. The disease continues to progress unfortunately with the skin metastases being the biggest worry at this time, they continue to grow. We have run out of treatment options in the UK.

The plan is to raise as much funds as we can and will be running events to raise these much needed funds to help Rita avail of these treatments. However, the estimate is that the cost of these treatments will be upwards of £200,000! We are currently speaking with physicians in these hospitals and gathering treatment options and pricing. The treatments that we are seeking are with doctors who have perfected their techniques and are experts in the treatment Rita needs. We have sought these particular treatments as they are targeted, and the premise is that they support the immune system correctly and prime the immune system to kill the cancer. Unlike the systemic treatments she is suffering with here. Down the line we also plan to give back to the number of local charities who have supported us.

Rita has spent her life giving to and supporting others. She retrained as a body worker and child and adult therapist so she could support others in their mental and physical health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, she has been unable to return to work. She has dedicated her life making sure me and the boys are happy, healthy and well cared for so now it’s our turn to help her. She just wants to live her life, continue her work and grow old with me.

We are a private family who like to keep our business to ourselves and it was a tough decision to ask strangers to help us pay for cancer treatment but Rita is a Mum and leaving her children is just not an option. We are running out of time and need to get her to one of these hospitals asap. She may have to leave us for a few months and is heartbroken about that but these are very tough decisions we have to make. She would rather plan this than plan a funeral.

Thank You for taking the time to read our story, If you can make a donation, say a prayer for Rita or just keep us in your thoughts we would be very grateful.

#HopeForRita