Mansfield mum responding to cancer treatment

A Mansfield mother-of-three who was given just months to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer has told that she is responding to new treatment.

Through fundraising, Liz Sheppard, of Mansfield Woodhouse, has paid for a new treatment called immunotherapy after she was diagnosed with small cell stomach cancer.

She was told the good news by doctors over the Christmas period and the golf ball sized tumour on her neck has already shrunk.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “It was just the best Christmas present ever, it was incredible.”

“After being diagnosed just before Christmas last year it was awful - so this has been fantastic. The family are all elated and I felt so relieved to find out the results.”

The 36-year-old says she will now appeal to the NHS to fund her treatment - which costs £5,000 for an immunotherapy session every two weeks.

She said: “It would open the door for me and for other people. I don’t know many people that have even one lot of £5,000 at their disposal and I will need to continue this into the foreseeable future.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A Just Giving page set up by Liz as well as other fundraising events has now raised almost £40,000 for her treatment.

Liz, who works as a clinical typist, was diagnosed in November 2015 and complained of symptoms three months beforehand which included extreme tiredness, feeling full after a small meal, bad skin and discolouration of teeth.

She had chemotherapy and radiotherapy on the NHS but is now being treated by Leaders in Oncology Care, a specialist cancer treatment centre in London.

She said: “I’m feeling great in comparison, I feel like a new woman. It’s been a huge development.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“With the palliative chemotherapy I couldn’t even get out of bed, I couldn’t even look after my children which is quite distressing when you’re a mother.”

“I’m hoping the NHS will agree to fund the treatment but if not I will keep fundraising so I can get the treatment I need.”

Related topics: