Help Leanne fight leukemia

We need your help…

This is Leanne, a kind, fun and, unbelievably positive, mother, sister and daughter, who has gone through a heart-breaking journey over the past 5 years. Leanne has leukaemia, her latest round of chemotherapy has been unsuccessful and the only remaining option to save her life is a clinical trial at King's College Hospital in London (100 miles from her home in Bristol). Leanne will need to spend almost 3 months in London, much of this as an outpatient and we are crowdfunding to try to support her to pay for accommodation. Our hope is that this will allow her children and family to stay with her, give her some stability and reduce her worries about the cost of living.

Leanne is in her mid-30s and has two teenage boys. Five years ago, Leanne was pregnant and expecting her third child, when she noticed a lump on her neck and went to see her GP. Days later she was admitted to Bristol Oncology hospital and diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). She was told that if she continued her pregnancy, neither she or her baby would survive. Her third son, Theo, was born sleeping at 20 weeks and the next day she immediately started a battle for her own life. She began an intensive period of chemotherapy and whilst she initially responded positively, a few months later she had a series of seizures and was admitted to intensive care. Her condition deteriorated and her family were called to visit her late one night, with doctors indicating that she was unlikely to pull through.

From that day onwards, Leanne made miraculous progress. After doctors managed her seizures, her treatment continued more successfully and whilst it was often challenging, isolating, painful and uncertain, she went into remission and eventually her treatment finished in Autumn 2020. Somehow, despite everything she had been through she remained upbeat, keen to help others and rarely offered any complaints. When lockdown rules were relaxed we celebrated her successful journey, her 2nd chance at life and remembered Theo.

As she moved towards 2023 filled with hope and expectation Leanne spent a fantastic week in South Africa with her partner’s family and began organising to catch up on everything she’d missed – making plans for a weekend away for her sisters’ 40th birthday and researching a family summer holiday. Until a familiar symptom reappeared. Just before Christmas, Leanne noticed another lump on her neck and went through the same heart-breaking process, a quick diagnosis of leukaemia before immediately re-starting an intense period of chemotherapy. Only this time the treatment wasn’t successful and for the first time we heard her complain: ‘It’s not fair that it took my hair, but not my cancer.’

Now, in late January 2023, Leanne has been given one option to try to prolong her life and have the opportunity to see her boys finish school and grow up. A new trial in London, which she’ll need to relocate for 3 months to access. There’s no guarantee this will be successful however, she shouldn’t have to face a decision between giving up completely or spending, what could potentially be, 3 months of already limited time, on her own worrying about money and where to stay in London. Your donations will help to fund a comfortable, stable and convenient base for her, where her children, partner and sisters can stay with her and give her the best chance to fight on.

Please consider sharing Leanne’s story and contributing whatever you can. Leanne needs to start her treatment immediately, so we are urgently seeking support.

Thank you

Leanne’s Family

Note: If you think you can help with suitable accommodation near King's College Hospital, media exposure for this page or anything else, then please get in touch.