Our Story.
Richard & Julia – In early 2020 our very precious granddaughter was taken ill with a suspected appendicitis which was ultimately diagnosed to be renal cancer and Nora underwent a 7 and a half hour operation to remove her right kidney with a Nephroblastoma (Wilms) tumour attached. Subsequently she received radiotherapy treatment and intense chemotherapy which fortunately has proved to give clear results for the last 2 years and she has returned to very good health. All this treatment took place during the first Covid year which made life extremely difficult for the whole family, working around the isolation requirements in order to avoid a Covid infection.
Nora was 4 when first diagnosed in 2020 and now 6 years of age she is coping with her everyday diabetes very well and is an inspiration to us all. She is bright and growing and has attitude, and a joy to all of us.
Following those devastating 2 years I myself have been diagnosed, on New Year’s Eve, with oesophagus cancer and at this point was told it was probably operable only to be told two weeks later that secondary cancer had been discovered in my lower spine and an operation was now out of the question. I am currently receiving palliative care in the form of 18 weeks intensive chemotherapy. I have been so impressed with the quality of treatment and care that I have been receiving at Cheltenham oncology that I entered discussion with the FOCUS oncology charity and indicated that we were keen to use our farm situation in order to raise funds to be distributed between FOCUS oncology Cheltenham and Gloucester hospital paediatric diabetes department. It is something we have been considering for some time but were unable to act on due to Covid restrictions. My diagnoses and the removal of Covid rules has prompted us to consider the best way of raising funds.
Charles, Gemma, Franklin & Nora – In March 2021 Nora was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and Coeliac disease. All her consultants have come to the same conclusion that this would have happened to her regardless of her cancer and treatments and that it was just bad luck…… Bad Luck to have had Cancer, Type 1 diabetes and Coeliac disease all before her 6th birthday (and during a global pandemic) is certainly one way of putting it! In true Nora style she has embraced all that has happened to her with positivity and wit, at times using it to her advantage and with her brother Frank at her side being the most special support of all, bringing some normality and perspective to all our lives by just being him.
Nora’s diabetes team have been a blessing to us, taking us on at a time when we were learning to cope with the changes and trauma 2020 had brought the family, it was not an easy task for them I’m sure. We will forever be thankful to them for this.
