Gemma Nuttall Cancer Fund
Donation protected
From Kate Winslet:
“Gemma needs further urgent specialist cancer treatment in Germany. Without it, she will die.
I have been in communication with Gemma and her lovely mum Helen, for a while now. And we are all so thrilled that we were able to send Gemma off to the Hallwang for her first round of treatment. I will continue to assist with her costs, but we do still badly need your donations. Join me in supporting this 28 year old Mum! Let's truly do our best to keep her alive for her 3 year old daughter Penelope, who loves and needs her Mummy so much. We might be able to save her life with these desperately needed funds for this essential treatment. So spread the word out there! Let's all tell as many people as we know, and please keep the words of support coming and the incredibly generous donations coming.
Everyone deserves the best chance at life, let's all try to help Gemma and Penelope have theirs!”
-Kate Winslet
*************************************************
From Gemma's mother, Helen:
Many of you out there will be familiar with Gemma’s story and will have seen our campaign on this GoFundMe site previously. After what seemed like a unbelievably long and exhausting battle we were told by the doctors here in the UK that nothing more could be done for her. She was put on palliative care and we were told she had just a few months to live. We all came home that day feeling numb, dejected and utterly devastated, as you could imagine.
I closed our original GoFundMe Page because I didn’t think there was any hope left. I had spoken to one clinic in Germany already who said they could not help us. After a few more days of feeling rejected and after speaking with friends and family, I decided to contact the original clinic in Germany I had been told about months ago called The Hallwang. The reason I had not pursued this clinic is because I had discovered how massively expensive it was to go there and receive treatment.
After realising our options were now running out, we have now made a trip over there and they have said that Gemma’s type of cancer can be treated with Immunotherapy that is not available in the UK and not in every clinic in Germany - which is why the other one could not help us. This is a lifeline so now Gemma can get the treatment she so desperately needs. It is a proven treatment and has worked for many patients in the past .
We, as a family, are all too aware of the huge amount of money this treatment is going to cost, and for this reason we have re-launched Gemma’s GoFundMe campaign in the hope that we can continue to build her fund up to cover the cost of this.
So please read our campaign below which will tell you what has happened since the closure of the old page and where we are today. Thank you to each and every one of you who have previously donated and to all of you that will be reading this for the first time and can help us reach our target. We are truly grateful .
--------------------
As a mother, I believe one of the worst things you can ever hear is "Mum, I have cancer." I have heard these words not once but THREE times and my daughter is only 28 years old - let me tell you about her.
The day she was born was a day I will cherish and remember forever - I had a beautiful baby girl. The years went by and she grew into a beautiful young lady. She met someone and a wedding was planned. Things changed a little when she found out she was pregnant and wedding plans were put on hold. During her first pregnancy scan a so-called "cyst" was discovered. We were told not to worry and that they would take a look at it on her next scan. The next scan came and our world changed forever in a single phone call. "Mum, I have cancer.”
Gemma was 16 weeks pregnant - she was offered a termination so the tumour could be removed immediately and treatment started, but Gemma decided her unborn child's life was more important than her own so she declined and insisted on carrying on. Gemma carried her baby while having endless scans and feeling dreadful. At 36 weeks, due to size of the huge ovarian tumour, it was decided to do a c-section at the same time as removing the tumour. They kept her awake so she could see her own beautiful but small, daughter, Penelope, arrive into the world - only to be put to sleep and have the cancer removed.
Penelope was taken to intensive care for the next few weeks, and Gemma came home to recover without her baby. A few weeks went by and Gemma was having scans, along with chemotherapy and radiotherapy regularly. Then it happened again - a phone call to say "It’s come back, I have cervical Cancer."
We were completely devastated. Gemma had surgery and was cured once more. She had been clear for the last 2 years. Penelope was now a beautiful 2 1/2 year old and we were so relieved.
Sadly, in April 2016, she was diagnosed with brain and lung cancer which is now classed as metastatic stage 4 cancer which has spread from the original ovarian cancer back in 2014. Her brain tumour has since been removed and the 6 months of chemotherapy have ended. Gemma is awaiting results of her latest body scans. There is a nodule on her lung which they are keeping an eye on. We continue on a daily - weekly - monthly basis to battle this crippling disease and have been told this is all we can do until there comes a day they turn around and say, "There is no more we can do."
Just before Christmas 2016 Gemma was complaining of headaches once again, so I took her to have brain scan. We were then sent to see the neurologist that removed her first brain tumour. As Gemma took herself off to the bathroom, I seized my chance to speak to him alone. He said the words I was most dreading which was, “She has some new tumours. "
You never get used to hearing those words and every single time I have heard them it takes my breath away in an instant and tears well up. This time I forced the tears back, knowing Gemma would be walking back in the room and I had only seconds left. I quickly said to the consultant, "Please don't tell her, it's the week before Christmas, nothing can be done before the New Year anyway - why spoil it for her? Please let her and Penelope spend it together without this hanging over her head.”
The consultant agreed with me thankfully. My wish was granted. Gemma and I returned home and we celebrated Christmas together as a family without her knowing what the New Year had in store.
The brain tumours have now been treated and we continue on our journey.
Gemma was a born fighter and little Penelope needs her mummy around. We will not go down without a fight!
Despite everything this disease has thrown at us, we have pushed on and have now visited a clinic in Germany that we hope can save her life. They have said there is something that can be done and offered us the treatment of the future for cancer sufferers called Immunotherapy. We have a treatment plan in place and are actively going through the motions of organising the things we have to do to make this happen.
This GoFundMe campaign is to help us raise funds to help us pay for this ground-breaking treatment.
In the event that this ground-breaking treatment in Germany does not help Gemma, we will throw all of our efforts into organising a bucket list for her and little Penelope to make as many memories as we can so she will always remember what an inspirational and amazing mummy she had. What a terrifying thought this is.
Please help us all you can!
We are all totally devastated - physically, emotionally, and mentally - and need every ounce of help we can get to help us get through this next episode of our journey.
Thank you so much,
Helen, Gemma & Penelope.
“Gemma needs further urgent specialist cancer treatment in Germany. Without it, she will die.
I have been in communication with Gemma and her lovely mum Helen, for a while now. And we are all so thrilled that we were able to send Gemma off to the Hallwang for her first round of treatment. I will continue to assist with her costs, but we do still badly need your donations. Join me in supporting this 28 year old Mum! Let's truly do our best to keep her alive for her 3 year old daughter Penelope, who loves and needs her Mummy so much. We might be able to save her life with these desperately needed funds for this essential treatment. So spread the word out there! Let's all tell as many people as we know, and please keep the words of support coming and the incredibly generous donations coming.
Everyone deserves the best chance at life, let's all try to help Gemma and Penelope have theirs!”
-Kate Winslet
*************************************************
From Gemma's mother, Helen:
Many of you out there will be familiar with Gemma’s story and will have seen our campaign on this GoFundMe site previously. After what seemed like a unbelievably long and exhausting battle we were told by the doctors here in the UK that nothing more could be done for her. She was put on palliative care and we were told she had just a few months to live. We all came home that day feeling numb, dejected and utterly devastated, as you could imagine.
I closed our original GoFundMe Page because I didn’t think there was any hope left. I had spoken to one clinic in Germany already who said they could not help us. After a few more days of feeling rejected and after speaking with friends and family, I decided to contact the original clinic in Germany I had been told about months ago called The Hallwang. The reason I had not pursued this clinic is because I had discovered how massively expensive it was to go there and receive treatment.
After realising our options were now running out, we have now made a trip over there and they have said that Gemma’s type of cancer can be treated with Immunotherapy that is not available in the UK and not in every clinic in Germany - which is why the other one could not help us. This is a lifeline so now Gemma can get the treatment she so desperately needs. It is a proven treatment and has worked for many patients in the past .
We, as a family, are all too aware of the huge amount of money this treatment is going to cost, and for this reason we have re-launched Gemma’s GoFundMe campaign in the hope that we can continue to build her fund up to cover the cost of this.
So please read our campaign below which will tell you what has happened since the closure of the old page and where we are today. Thank you to each and every one of you who have previously donated and to all of you that will be reading this for the first time and can help us reach our target. We are truly grateful .
--------------------
As a mother, I believe one of the worst things you can ever hear is "Mum, I have cancer." I have heard these words not once but THREE times and my daughter is only 28 years old - let me tell you about her.
The day she was born was a day I will cherish and remember forever - I had a beautiful baby girl. The years went by and she grew into a beautiful young lady. She met someone and a wedding was planned. Things changed a little when she found out she was pregnant and wedding plans were put on hold. During her first pregnancy scan a so-called "cyst" was discovered. We were told not to worry and that they would take a look at it on her next scan. The next scan came and our world changed forever in a single phone call. "Mum, I have cancer.”
Gemma was 16 weeks pregnant - she was offered a termination so the tumour could be removed immediately and treatment started, but Gemma decided her unborn child's life was more important than her own so she declined and insisted on carrying on. Gemma carried her baby while having endless scans and feeling dreadful. At 36 weeks, due to size of the huge ovarian tumour, it was decided to do a c-section at the same time as removing the tumour. They kept her awake so she could see her own beautiful but small, daughter, Penelope, arrive into the world - only to be put to sleep and have the cancer removed.
Penelope was taken to intensive care for the next few weeks, and Gemma came home to recover without her baby. A few weeks went by and Gemma was having scans, along with chemotherapy and radiotherapy regularly. Then it happened again - a phone call to say "It’s come back, I have cervical Cancer."
We were completely devastated. Gemma had surgery and was cured once more. She had been clear for the last 2 years. Penelope was now a beautiful 2 1/2 year old and we were so relieved.
Sadly, in April 2016, she was diagnosed with brain and lung cancer which is now classed as metastatic stage 4 cancer which has spread from the original ovarian cancer back in 2014. Her brain tumour has since been removed and the 6 months of chemotherapy have ended. Gemma is awaiting results of her latest body scans. There is a nodule on her lung which they are keeping an eye on. We continue on a daily - weekly - monthly basis to battle this crippling disease and have been told this is all we can do until there comes a day they turn around and say, "There is no more we can do."
Just before Christmas 2016 Gemma was complaining of headaches once again, so I took her to have brain scan. We were then sent to see the neurologist that removed her first brain tumour. As Gemma took herself off to the bathroom, I seized my chance to speak to him alone. He said the words I was most dreading which was, “She has some new tumours. "
You never get used to hearing those words and every single time I have heard them it takes my breath away in an instant and tears well up. This time I forced the tears back, knowing Gemma would be walking back in the room and I had only seconds left. I quickly said to the consultant, "Please don't tell her, it's the week before Christmas, nothing can be done before the New Year anyway - why spoil it for her? Please let her and Penelope spend it together without this hanging over her head.”
The consultant agreed with me thankfully. My wish was granted. Gemma and I returned home and we celebrated Christmas together as a family without her knowing what the New Year had in store.
The brain tumours have now been treated and we continue on our journey.
Gemma was a born fighter and little Penelope needs her mummy around. We will not go down without a fight!
Despite everything this disease has thrown at us, we have pushed on and have now visited a clinic in Germany that we hope can save her life. They have said there is something that can be done and offered us the treatment of the future for cancer sufferers called Immunotherapy. We have a treatment plan in place and are actively going through the motions of organising the things we have to do to make this happen.
This GoFundMe campaign is to help us raise funds to help us pay for this ground-breaking treatment.
In the event that this ground-breaking treatment in Germany does not help Gemma, we will throw all of our efforts into organising a bucket list for her and little Penelope to make as many memories as we can so she will always remember what an inspirational and amazing mummy she had. What a terrifying thought this is.
Please help us all you can!
We are all totally devastated - physically, emotionally, and mentally - and need every ounce of help we can get to help us get through this next episode of our journey.
Thank you so much,
Helen, Gemma & Penelope.
Organizer
Helen Sproates
Organizer