A terminally-ill mum says she’s been the victim of a horrendous online smear campaign after raising almost £100,000 for overseas treatment.
Trudie Murphy, who has an inoperable brain tumour, has been forced to hit back at rumours her illness was exaggerated and her fundraising efforts staged to earn her cash.
Rumours on social media in East Lothian have suggested she is faking her illness and has used the money to go on foreign holidays.
Trudie says it is true she hasn’t used the £97,000 cash raised for overseas proton therapy treatment - but that’s because she is now pregnant so can’t get the treatment.
The 38-year-old, who is currently five months pregnant, said vicious rumours swirled online after a former friend posted allegations about her life on a social media page.
She said: “Some of the things I read about myself was horrendous. It has been frightening to see people will believe anything they are told and take it as the truth. People want to know why I haven’t had treatment but they will say stuff online rather than come and ask me themselves.”
The mum-of-four cannot receive any treatment at the moment due to her pregnancy but said her tumour is currently classed as “stable” and she hopes it will stay that way until her baby is born in September.
Trudie, from Tranent, East Lothian, raised almost £97,000 after receiving the news in July 2020 that her symptoms she thought was MS was actually a Grade 2 Astrocytoma Glioma.
The location of the 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
The Daily Record was shown evidence from her medical notes about the tumour and her pregnancy.
She 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.”
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.”
Tearfully she said: “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?”
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