Penny 'to Italy' Murphy

Hi there and thank you so much for taking the time to read the story of our wonderful friend called Penny.

Penny has been given a maximum of 6 months to live due to the most horrendous disease called cancer.

In Penny’s words on Facebook, I am ‘General Gillie’ and Penny has a huge Facebook ‘Army’ of friends supporting and loving her in so many ways. This beautiful, incredibly funny, silly, adorable, and an absolute ‘one-in-a-million’ lady (they broke the mould when Penny was born) is a wonderful friend to many, to both adults and children alike. She worked in a primary school and was a nanny to many young children throughout the years. Her true vocation is children, and she is, without a doubt, the most loving woman I have ever met. Her passion for others is paramount and her infectious look on life is contagious. Penny has three goals, one of which is to go to Italy – Naples, and Bologna in particular. This is what this fundraising is for.

Goal 1: Attend her best friend’s wedding.

Goal 2: See her youngest son and his girlfriend cross the finish line after partaking in the 100km Ultrachallange from London to Brighton on 27th and 28th May 2023, whilst raising money for Cancer Research.

Goal 3: Italy.

Penny started to feel poorly around March 2020 but due to Covid taking hold around the world, she didn't go to see her GP. After the 1st lockdown ended, she finally booked an appointment to see her GP and they sent her for her 1st round of tests. After her colonoscopy, they found a 23cm tumour in her colon and after this, scans showed that the cancer had spread to her liver and was completely covered in tumours. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer and given 18 months to live. Then began her first round of chemotherapy on 5th October 2020.

By mid-December Penny and her family relocated from Surbiton to Kent, due to her husband's job, meaning he could spend more time at home with Penny when she needed him. This put a big toll on the family, having to change hospitals, wait for referrals to come through, and new consultants, new nurses, and staff. Penny kept her incredibly positive attitude and her spirits high.

Even with 2 stays in the hospital for sepsis, her spirits remained high, she took every turn with laughter and a few tears, but she just kept on going.

By May 2021 the chemo was working, and the colon tumour had shrunk so they were able to give her surgery and remove the tumour! Her liver, which had been completely covered on both sides was clearing too.

Penny’s family life was good with day trips and a glimmer of hope with moments to enjoy and remember between family and friends. Another of Penny’s goals, an aim she had been working toward since her diagnosis was to attend her best friend’s wedding, which she was able to do in November 2021 where they all had such a happy day full of tears and lots of happy memories made. So, one goal done!

In February 2022, much of the cancer had gone from Penny’s liver with only one tumour left; the consultant said Penny was a ‘Medical Marvel’, having had 16 rounds of chemo at that point. One month later in March, she had lived past the initial life expectancy of 18 months, which was a benchmark we never expected to reach.

The ’Medical Marvel’ was short-lived however and after Penny’s 22nd round of chemo, she was told it had stopped working and there were new tumours on her liver. So, a new chemo was given with much worse side effects, months of sickness, horrific migraines, and endless side effects. BUT, Penny still put on a happy brave face and laughed her way through it all. Further regrowth in September 2022 and a switch to a third type of tablet chemo was given. It left her with more harrowing side effects and dreadful fatigue. She couldn't eat, or sleep and even drinking water was painful. Two months later something was in her lungs – the current chemo tablets were not working.

Now, after 32 rounds of 3 different forms of chemotherapy from the wonderful NHS, Penny then made the heartbreaking and devastating decision regarding her sore and battered body. Penny now wants to live a ‘quality life’ rather than a ‘broken and barely just existing’ one. On 10th January 2023, she took the decision with the help of her family to stop her treatment. This is where the third goal comes in. A huge bucket list wish of Penny’s is to go to Italy since she was young. This is where we can help fundraise for Penny and her husband to get there for that long-time coming holiday for the two of them. I envisage the fund will go towards travel, accommodation, meals, entrance to various places of interest, and a little spending money. Penny needs this soon.

Happy memories are what Penny wants going forward from now. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and donating to ‘Penny to Italy’.

“Onwards and upwards” Penny’s loyal army.