Support Charlene in beating Bowel & Liver Cancer!

Our beautiful sister, loved mother, daughter, granddaughter, cousin, auntie & friend, Charlene has been diagnosed with stage 4 Bowel and liver cancer.

A mother of 4 gorgeous children, ages 14, 7 and 5 and an adult daughter, who is 19, Charlene feels she now needs to do everything in her power to ensure she is here for them and to watch them grow.

Charlene had a FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test) just before Christmas, after noticing blood in her stools. It was by chance, of a kind, observant and intuitive GP, who requested her to have the test, when she visited with one of her poorly children. She was also referred for an immediate CT scan. This took place early January , followed by an endoscopy and colonoscopy the following week.

On the 25th January 2024, Charlene was hit with the awful and devastating news of her bowel cancer and was told it had metastasized to her liver.

Since then, there have been constant telephone calls, more tests and trips to hospital. Consultant appointments, 2 iron infusions and visits to the chemotherapy day unit.

Charlene will now not ever be cancer free.

Chemotherapy is starting on 28th February, a day before her 44th birthday. (Yes, she is a leap year baby! on 29th February)

It will be all systems go to attack and shrink this horrible disease to gain more time with the people she loves.

It’s very hard to accept what is happening but she's ready to fight so that she can have more time with her children, family and friends.

Everyone around Charlene, near and far, love her. She has a caring, friendly & bubbly energy. She would give you the shirt off her back and spend her last penny on others! Even when she herself goes without. That is who she is. Yet she continues to try to be strong under really awful circumstances.

Charlene was born and raised in Birmingham, and has also lived in Staffordshire and Essex. In 2021 she relocated with her children to an area outside South London, for a fresh start, working briefly at a well-known hotel chain. She made lots of friends and was well liked by her children’s school teachers, peers and parents. Charlene is a solo parent, so struggled to maintain a job, juggling motherhood and childcare.

She has made the difficult decision to move in temporarily with her sister and family, 56 miles from her home, in order to receive the care and support needed, for herself and her children, whilst undergoing chemotherapy and possible surgery.

This has meant an upheaval for all. New Schools and new routines.

It is hard to say what way this road will go.

But one thing we do know is how much she is loved.

Love does not pay the bills or care for little ones.

Please can you dig deep. This gives her a chance to look at alternative medicines and create memories and have an easier time with her children. ♥️♥️♥️♥️