A mum of three from Perthshire says surgery abroad is her only chance of surviving cancer.
Anne Lindsay, 32, was diagnosed with terminal cancer in March and told she has a maximum of two years to live.
Her only hope of survival is to seek treatment privately as she needs a liver transplant, bowel removal, and immunotherapy.
‘I’m not ready for this’
In January, Anne, who also suffers autoimmune hepatitis, began getting severe cramps down her right side and her GP referred her to a gastroenterologist.
She told The Courier: “He didn’t think the problem was in my liver but something in my pancreas or gall bladder.
“At that point he booked me for a CT scan and sent me home, but it was clear.”
Anne, who lives with her partner Matthew and her three daughters, was taken to Ninewells Hospital in March after her pain got worse and she began passing blood.
She received multiple tests including two colonoscopy’s, two CT scans and a MRI scan, which eventually led to the discovery of her cancer.
Describing the moment she was given her diagnosis, Anne said: “The morning before I was told, it felt like they were avoiding me, when my partner got to the hospital they took us to another room.
“As soon as I got into the room I cried straight away – I just knew what they were going to say.
“I thought I’m only 32, I’m not ready for this.”
Anne’s results showed two tumours in her bowel, one of which a 21cm and cancerous. The disease had also spread to her liver.
She was offered chemotherapy, but medics say she will only survive for around two years.
In 2019, Anne, who has been unable to work due to health problems, was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and has received multiple scans and tests, but cancer was never detected.
For the last two years, she had been trying to get on a liver transplant waiting list but was told her condition was not severe enough.
Bid to raise money for treatment
She said: “I was told they would only consider putting me on the transplant list if they felt it was totally necessary.”
Now, her only hope of getting better is to seek specialist treatment unavailable on the NHS.
Anne has looked at options in New York, Amsterdam, Germany and London to get immunotherapy, a liver transplant and her bowel removed.
She is trying to raise £250,000 to go towards her treatment costs.
Anne said: “The surgery would cost more than £250,000 but it would be a big slice of it.
“The liver transplant alone would cost around £80,000.
“Members of my family are also helping me along the way and giving anything they can.
“I’ve already had a hospital in Germany say they would try and treat me, but I’d have to stay over there for four months.
“I don’t want to just prolong my life, I’ve got far too much to lose.”
‘I would live every single day on earth like it’s my last’
Anne’s daughters, aged six, 11 and 14, know she has cancer but don’t know the prognosis.
Anne added: “I have a really really close bond with my daughters.
“The thought of telling them is just unbearable.”
Currently, Anne’s fundraiser is sitting at nearly £20,000 after being set up at the end of March and is “grateful” for the support.
She said: “I’ve been through so much in such a short time.
“It’s been one thing after another, and it can make you feel really alone.
“I’m grateful people out there are willing to help and understand the situation.
“I would live every single day on earth like it’s my last if I get this surgery.”
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