Keeping Emily Strong

Hi everyone, thank you so much for looking at this fund raising page. It’s very hard to find the right words to put on here as a mother of a daughter whose life has been turned upside down again.

Emily who has just turned 19 became very poorly at the end of April with severe headaches and sickness after a lot of visits to the GP and A&E they found she had a massive brain tumour. From that day onwards 5 May 2023 her life changed and everything happened so quickly. She was rushed to St George’s in London where they did urgent brain surgery to remove the tumour. Emily was unbelievable and recovered very well. There have been some bumps on the way some very scary ones at times and there was lots of waiting but we found out a few weeks later that Emily’s brain tumour was cancerous . So Emily was diagnosed with Glioblastoma grade IV brain cancer. This is a very aggressive fast growing cancer.

What is so unfair is that at 9 years old Emily was diagnosed with T-Cell leukaemia. She underwent two and half years of intense chemotherapy treatment and radiotherapy. She then was in remission and rang the bell at the hospital! To be told all cured and she started to live her life! Then sadly 9 years later as soon as she becomes an adult she has to fight brain cancer. To fight it once in her short life is hard enough but to get another form of cancer is just so devastating.

Emily has just completed 6 weeks radiotherapy and chemo and will be resting and recovering now ready to start her next treatment of 12 months chemotherapy. Like before Emily has approached this in a calm, focussed strong way, she never complains and she just does what she has to do to get better with a smile on her face.

This cancer is extremely aggressive and she will be monitored constantly for the rest of her life. We are trying to do anything and everything we possibly can to try to prevent regrowth and make her stronger to be able to keep fighting it. Emily’s life has totally change as has mine. But we continue to be positive, strong and focus on moving forward and the most importantly enjoying life.

This fund has been set up to help fund the cost that we are encountering. Emily is following her treatment on the NHS at the Royal Marsden Hospital who are amazing. But to give Emily every chance we can to fight this we are doing anything and everything possible to help her. This currently includes lots of extra meetings with private doctors, specialist, lots supplements, treatments which as you can imagine all come at a cost. We are currently researching all avenues of treatment for her and these treatments are likely to have to be given overseas as they are not available in this country.

We want to thank each and everyone of you that kindly donate to this fund it really is going to help Emily. The current times we live in are hard on everyone at the moment for people to donate we are so so grateful.

I want to thank all my family and friends that have been and continue to be incredible throughout this. We couldn’t have got through this without all the love and support. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough to say to you all but we are so so thankful for all that you are doing.