Tara's stage 1- grade 3, cancer journey

Our Story:

Let me introduce ourselves: I am Adele and Tara (some of you know her as Amina) is my beautiful wife, best friend and soulmate.

Most of you who know Tara know what a hard-working, loving and fun person she is with a great sense of humour. She is such a strong, resilient and selfless character who always puts her family and friends before herself. These characteristics are just one of the many reasons I ended up falling in love with my best friend from our school days: we met at Secondary school, became the best of friends in 2005 and our relationship blossomed over time into one of love for one another. We moved into a lovely, rented flat which we have worked so hard for to furnish and lovingly keep as if it were our own.

Fast forward 12 years, I took Tara to Disneyland to propose and couldn’t have been happier that she accepted. I felt like the luckiest person alive at our wedding in January 2020 (who would’ve guessed what was coming only two months later!). The ceremony was attended by our closest friends and family and was just simply the perfect day we could’ve wished for. We had to put our honeymoon on hold due to the pandemic and finally made it to Greece this year!

Just 3 weeks ago, our world was turned upside down: we were delivered the sudden, unexpected and devasting news that Tara has been diagnosed with Triple Negative invasive breast cancer stage 1, grade 3. We feel we are living in a permanent and continous nightmare, but the nightmare is real. We go about our lives thinking our loved ones are invincible and that it’s something that will never happen to you. Tara is just 28 years young. I’m truly heartbroken, afraid and feel totally helpless.

Since receiving this terrible news, Tara has remained so positive, and her sheer strength and faith has me in awe. She has such an immense determination and desire to fight this dreadful disease and I’m so proud of her each and every day. Her bravery astounds me and she has even began blogging her journey on social media – she is just at the beginning of a long and tough journey ahead. Intense chemotherapy is due to begin towards the end of next week which will last for 4 months. The goal is to shrink the tumour adequately enough for a lumpectomy to be performed.

Most 28 year olds should be in in the prime of their lives, living life to the fullest and making wonderful memories and working to achieve financial goals. Unfortunately, due to intense chemotherapy, Tara will be unable to work during her treatment. We have since discovered after much research that Tara is only entitled to SSP and any chances of support or help from the government is highly unlikely due to the fact that I have an income: it is taking 3 months to process claims of which we’ll inevitably be told we have no entitlement as I am earning. The system beggers belief and is a complete minefield which we are finding totally overwhelming. The sad reality is that I desperately want to be home and supporting Tara every step of the way through her difficult journey and it breaks my heart I am going to have to work even longer hours to support us both. We rely on both incomes to maintain the rental of our flat, bills and food. I want Tara to focus on her health and recovery and not have to worry about whether we can afford to live. What a world we live in eh?! It sucks ….

I understand we are entering a recession with a huge cost of living crisis and times are tough for everyone. Do not feel obliged in any way shape or form to donate but any donation no matter how small would be hugely appreciated in helping to relieve all the worry and burden of trying to exist. Any contribution towards the cost of living we’d be eternally grateful for and maybe the given chance to donate to cancer charities and purchase an authentic wig if it were financially possible. Tara’s speedy diagnosis and tests to date have been an exemplary example of our highly important NHS system and long may it continue.

Please send all positive thoughts for Tara at this extremely frightening and difficult time.

Thankyou for taking them time to read our so far

Love,

Adele