A Nottingham nurse with cancer has spoken of her hope that a last option treatment will help her create more 'precious memories' with her daughter. Samantha Hourd, 39, from Clifton, was diagnosed with metastatic bowel cancer in June 2021 after a history of bloating, bleeding and a change in bowel habits.
The mum-of-one had undergone testing off the back of a GP referral for suspected colitis, but despite being told the procedure was routine and unlikely to be anything sinister, she was given the life-changing news she had stage 4 cancer. In the past two years, Samantha has undergone a number of surgeries and chemotherapy, but unfortunately, these measures have failed to remove the cancer, with the disease growing every time.
The public health nurse, who had worked as a neonatal nurse at QMC until 2020, is now fundraising to pay for life-extending treatment not available on the NHS or through her insurance. Samantha has said Bevacizumab, a targeted therapy drug that would cost almost £25,000 for a six-month cycle, is the last option to give her more time with her friends and family.
"Unfortunately the cancer has grown each time, so as a last-ditch attempt they're going to give me this radiotherapy treatment for my liver and I'll carry on with the chemo. The NHS won't fund it [Bevacizumab], but there's some really good evidence that it works.
"My insurance won't cover this because the chemotherapy I am on is only licensed to be used on its own, but there has been a phase three trial that has shown using them both can extend life expectancy by a considerable amount of time. The chemotherapy I am on is not designed to shrink tumours.
"I have tried all the big guns, so this is kind of my last option. I'm going to do anything to help give me some more time, anyone would try anything in my situation - unfortunately, it just comes with a big price tag."
Samantha was originally treated at NUH but now receives care from The Royal Marsden in London. She said the treatment was worth trying if it offered any chance of more time with her 10-year-old daughter.
"It's all about having the extra time. Obviously it can be different for everyone, but it says on the tablets that it extends life on average for about eight months, which is hardly any time, but on this trial with both drugs people were living for up to 20 months - which is a massive difference," she added.
"It's not something I could pass up on, I've got a 10-year-old daughter, you have to do whatever you can if you have a kid. Every moment is important and precious. I've been fortunate in a way, I was able to work for a little bit and make some lovely memories with my daughter.
"Having the funds to carry on this treatment to keep on doing that is massive. I want to know I've tried everything, at least I will know I have done everything I could."
On a fundraising page, which was set up on January 31, more than £6,500 out of the £25,000 goal has been raised. Emma London, 39, from Mapperley, who is one of Samantha's friends and helped set up the page, said: "We tried to encourage her to do it before, but she's very proud and didn't want people to pay.
"But there were so many people who wanted to help, friends, family, even people she had met through the cancer community, and this was the only way they could. I'm shocked how much it has raised, but she is the type of person who would give someone her last pound, so people want to repay that generosity by helping.
"She's 39 and has a daughter, so any extra time is massively important." Any funds not used to pay for treatment will be donated equally between The Bowel Movement and Bowel Cancer UK.
You can donate to Samantha's fundraiser here.
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