Brave Evanton mum's ideal present as she gets place on cancer trial
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A ROSS-SHIRE mum-of-three has been handed what she described as the "best gift ever" on her birthday – a place on a national clinical drugs trial which may prolong her life.
Cancer battler Lucy Wilson hopes to start the first phase of the Tesaro trial for immunotherapy drugs at the world-leading Royal Marsden Hospital in London.
The 39-year-old mobile hairdresser – mum to Chloe (18), Caitlin (15) and Savannah (11) – was left devastated in September after being told by doctors she had incurable endometrial cancer.
Two types of chemotherapy have done nothing to shrink the tumour and doctors at Raigmore ruled out earlier plans for a radical hysterectomy and lymph nodes removal.
A massive community campaign is under way to raise at least £28,000 to send Ms Wilson to Germany for cutting-edge treatment that is not available on the NHS.
So far that has raised almost £20,000.
Speaking from her home at Evanton Ms Wilson admitted she is desperate to start the drugs trial.
She said: "My whole right leg swelled up and a lump appeared over my pelvic area which turned out to be a huge blood clot.
"I had to give myself blood thinning injections but on the fourth day I suffered uncontrollable bleeding and clots.
"The ambulance had to be rushed out as I couldn’t make it to the car.
"I remember losing a lot of blood and feeling very hot and faint.
"I was taken to Raigmore and given blood transfusions and high doses of radiotherapy to stop the bleeding.
"They eventually let me go home a week later but I was back all of one night and then rushed in by ambulance again with the same thing but they managed to stop it quickly.
"Three days later we drove to the Royal Marsden to see if I could get on the trial and then I got sick again and they found out I had an infection.
"But I got antibiotics and all went well down there, they accepted me onto the trial on my birthday so it was the best gift ever. And now, all going well, I’ll start the treatment."
The drugs will be given once every three weeks for the next four months and then once every six weeks.
It is a first for the UK but other trials in other countries have produced strong results.
Meantime the fundraising campaign continues in order to fly Ms Wilson to the Hallwang private oncology clinic for intensive immunotherapy treatment.
So far she has raised £19,276,30.
A charity online auction boosted the balance by £5377.
A dance event with 20 DJs at Bogbain Farm, with extra support from Sean Murphy from Highland Livestream, Shenanigan Inverness, Rococo Tribe Glitter Body Art an others on Saturday, May 5, raised £1423 and a DJ and quiz night at Dows Bar & Bistro in Inverness raised £906.
Looking ahead, a live DJ night of house and techno featuring DJs from Audiolife and State of Grace, is being held at the Sobar in Inverness on Friday, May 18, from 9pm.
Ms Wilson said: "I would like to say a massive thank you to all my fab friends who are doing fundraising for me and to everyone for being so amazing and helping me by donating. I never would have made it this far without you."
