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Essex Grandmother Turns to Private Chemotherapy After Cancer Spreads

She says NHS waits left her unable to start treatment soon enough.

Overview

  • Private tests confirmed the cancer had spread to her lungs, liver and the pancreatic bed, and she is now paying for chemotherapy with help from a GoFundMe.
  • A friend noticed her eyes turning yellow, a 111 call sent her to A&E, and tests at Southend University Hospital led to a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in February 2025.
  • She then had a Whipple operation at Royal London Hospital, a major surgery that removes part of the pancreas and nearby tissue.
  • Soon after, she suffered ruptured internal stitches, sepsis and two blood clots in her lungs that forced an emergency return to hospital.
  • Chemotherapy that began on June 6, 2025 was halted after six sessions, and doctors later drained a 10 cm liver abscess before a January 2026 scan flagged new concerns.