Project Nanny Phyllis!

A call for help…

My darling mum, Phyllis, is 48 years old. For the last nine years, she has battled different forms of cancer, and, in doing so, she’s been remarkably strong, resilient and she’s taken things in her stride as much as possible. If you know her, you’ll know how strong and private a person she is. In fact, it’s only over the last few months that she’s opened up about how her experiences have affected her and are affecting her now that her condition has worsened more than ever before. My family and I have been in awe of her opening up as we know how much her confidence has been completely stripped away.

I want to share her story so that anyone who wants to help her in the battle of, and for, her life will be able to do so.

In February 2025, my husband and I will be welcoming our first baby (a girl!) into the world!! My mum is determined to live as long as possible to see her only grandchild be born, grow up and experience the wonderful experiences that life has to offer those of us lucky enough to live it. In all honesty, the thought of her not being here to experience this with me breaks my heart into a million pieces. Anyone who knows us will understand we are completely inseparable, and I can’t wait to see her be the best Nanny Phyllis.

However, despite her determination, my mum has a huge uphill battle against cancer on her hands, a battle she is fighting for the third time in less than a decade. After 69 courses of chemotherapy and many rounds of radiation, she has been diagnosed with PTSD and won’t cope with anymore harsh treatments both physically and mentally. (You can hear more about this below and on her Instagram: @welshycancerqueen.)

As a result, she’s been trying alternative remedies. Her friend had cancer in her liver and recently had treatment in Germany that worked wonders! My mum wants to have the same treatment, but it’s set to cost her thousands of pounds, which she can’t afford.

To tell you a bit about her journey so far…

Back in 2015, my mum was first diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, that was the worst thing to ever happen to her and she showed strong bravery and courage in battling the cancer that took away her dignity. At the time, she lost her ability to exercise—which, as a personal trainer, was a big financial challenge, as well as a psychological one—and her hair and breasts, which, as such a glamorous woman, was a major adjustment for her.

Unfortunately, the first wave of cancer was almost kind compared to what the second and, now, third waves have brought her way. In 2020, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. During the lockdown, she spent 3 months in hospital, isolated from the strong support network that had made her first run-in with cancer that bit more bearable. She had a bone marrow transplant, but, with a weakened immune system, contracted COVID-19 when in hospital. To top it off, she also contracted sepsis and nearly died as a result!

You’d be forgiven for thinking that, at that point, my mother had gone through all the horrors that she could expect to come her way. But this third encounter with cancer has been even worse. She’s currently got cancer in her liver, neck, spine, and, would you believe it, back in her breast and things have been particularly bad in recent months. A few weeks ago, the cancer tried to diminish her spirit even further by temporarily robbing her of her mobility. She only gets around 4 hours of sleep per night (if she’s lucky).

My mother is a strong woman, who dislikes asking for help when she needs it, but I want to show her how much support she has as she fights cancer yet again. She is a warrior, but I worry that she won’t be able to achieve her ambition of seeing my daughter grow up without help. If you’re able to make any donation, big or small, that will help my mum get the care she desperately needs.

She’s exhausted all the options the NHS has to offer. Back in March, they gave her 6 months to live, and she is adamant to try every single thing possible and leave no stone unturned. She has come across Professor Vogul after a friend recommended him. He is one of the top doctors specialising in metastatic liver mets. So, we’ve bitten the bullet and booked her in for treatment. On October 4th, my superwoman mum will be heading to Germany for a procedure with Professor Vogul, which we believe will be life changing for her. She will be undergoing arterial immobilisation without chemotherapy in an attempt to block the tumour vessels. (The tumours are too big for chemo, and she has PTSD from previous treatments, as I mentioned earlier.)

We’ve also done some research into removing the tumour that has come back in her breast. A specialist surgeon from Swansea, Mr Amar Ghattaura, has been highly recommended to us. It’s so important for my mum to have a surgeon she trusts, as her past experiences have left her traumatised by her recurring cancers.

We’d love to seek a spinal specialist to tackle the 12 tumours in her spine that are currently affecting her mobility. If we’re lucky enough to do all of this, it’s likely to cost around £25,000 in total (but possibly more). Unfortunately, my mum won’t be able to afford this, and she is already paying out a lot in alternative therapies every month.

I’d love nothing more than to see my mum walk along her favourite beach again, move around independently without pain and hold her baby granddaughter. To everyone who donates to my mum’s cause and wants to help her on her journey: thank you so, so much from the bottom of my heart!

To Phyllis, the Brave (a title she’s thoroughly earned): we love you dearly.

P.S. I’d also like to encourage anyone who has, or knows someone who has, cancer to follow my mum on Instagram (@welshycancerqueen) to share knowledge about how to prevent and treat this awful disease, create a community of warriors and survivors who are ready to take the fight to cancer, and know that you/they are not alone—and cancer will only win if we let it.