Cruel trolls have targeted an East Lothian mum with terminal cancer claiming she faked her illness.
Trudie Murphy, from Tranent, raised almost £97,000 through a fundraising page for alternative treatment after receiving the news in July 2020 that her symptoms she thought was MS, was actually a Grade two Astrocytoma Glioma.
The mum-of-four from Tranent noticed the nasty rumours online claiming that she was using the funds to pay for a lavish lifestyle and holidays.
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The reason Trudie has not yet progressed to the next stage of getting the treatment abroad is because the mum is five months pregnant and expecting in September.
Her condition is stable just now so she hopes once the newest addition to the family arrives they can begin treatment.
The location of her 2mm tumour is inoperable due to its location and her only hope at potentially prolonging her life is costly proton beam therapy in the United States report the Record.
Speaking to the Record the mum said: “I researched treatments in the US and they will treat me - but it’s so much money.
"I suspended the fundraising temporarily a few months back because I was just exhausted and suffering badly.
"People seemed to see this as a sign I had somehow given up or stole money from them.
"I just needed a break. My whole life was about the tumour and trying to get the money together for the treatment.
"Everyone was amazing, people in the community did so much for me and I am grateful but then one comment gets put online and suddenly I’m telling lies and some people have even said I don’t have a tumour at all or they thought there was something funny going on.”
Trudie added: “The tumour is stable just now. It needs to get to a certain size before I can have the Proton Beam and I can only have the radiation once so it needs to work.
The doctors told me there’s a 15 per cent chance I’ll die during the treatment but a 100 per cent chance I’ll die without it.”
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Addressing the rumours the cash was used for other things she said: “Look at me, I’m not dripping in cash, I rarely go out, I’m suffering from cancer and I’m pregnant, my house is falling apart and I’m trying to keep it together for my family. Some of the things that have been said is sickening.
“I know people are saying things about my marriage, my pregnancy and how I made this tumour out to be worse than it is but I honestly can’t believe that people would believe anything they read online.”
Holding back tears the mum added: “Yes I said I was living my best life but if this is my best life and people have a problem with that I don’t know what to say.
"I’ve been forced to explain my financial situation and benefits I get from being terminally ill mean I can have little mini breaks away such as down to Eyemouth.
"The holidays were using vouchers and Social Work payments. When you get benefits you have to use the money or they take it from you. You can’t save up.
“I don’t know what else I can do but I’m grateful to everyone who raised money for me. I am still hoping to get treatment once the baby is born. Is it going to take my death before people believe me?”
