On 06th January 2017 our lives changed forever as our beautiful 21 year old daughter, Monique, was rushed into emergency surgery after a CT scan found her bowel had perforated. Eight hours later she emerged from surgery with a colostomy bag and a week later her surgeon confirmed the news behind the perforation:
“Testing has confirmed a malignant tumour caused your bowel to perforate. Unfortunately the tumour has also spread… You have Stage 4 Advanced Bowel Cancer”
We spent the next two weeks in hospital by Monique’s side as she recovered from her surgery and processed the news that she would be starting palliative chemotherapy within the next 6 weeks.
We were told that Monique’s prognosis was not good. Her oncologist predicted 6-12 months alongside the chemotherapy. However, as is in her nature, her zest for life prevailed and nearing 3 years later, she has surpassed all the odds having undergone 58 cycles of chemotherapy and reaching NED (no evidence of disease) status for 2 years.
Chemotherapy has been by far the toughest thing Monique has undergone. The physical and mental side effects have been harrowing.
Watching her courage and determination to push forward despite this has been inspiring.
Recurrence
Unfortunately in August 2019, Monique’s 3 monthly CT scan has shown that her cancer has returned in the lining of her abdomen and pelvis and her ovaries. Correspondence from a specialist surgical centre in Basingstoke has unfortunately deemed Monique unsuitable for surgery. As a result, Monique has had to start a new chemotherapy treatment which she will continue in 2 weekly cycles until she is re-scanned in 3 months and we find out whether the treatment has stabilised her cancer.
Go Fund Me
As her parents, we are devoted to Monique and now devoted to extensively researching multiple different treatments both here in the UK and abroad, including Israel and America, which offer both medical and alternative treatments which we believe Monique will benefit from and help her diagnosis. Unfortunately her options on the NHS are very limited due to her diagnosis and the treatments that will ultimately benefit her life are not covered by the NHS and are very costly. We have started this GoFundMe page in order to raise the funds needed to provide Monique with these life-saving treatments as well as to enable her to live her life independently, comfortably and to the full.
Any funds which are leftover and do not go towards funding these treatments will be split between three of Monique’s chosen charities; CLIC Sargent, Teens Unite, Bowel Cancer Research UK and her ongoing treatment centre, who have all supported her fight so far.
Keep up to date with Monique’s journey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelifeofmiqu
To donate https://www.gofundme.com/f/thelifeofmique