A mother from Bromsgrove is urgently fundraising for a private cancer treatment that could save her mother’s life, following devastating family losses to the disease.
Laura Potter, 35, has experienced profound tragedy, having lost both her father and brother to cancer. Now, her mother, Christine Woodus, 60, is battling stage four bowel cancer.
Christine has undergone extensive surgery, including the removal of 40 per cent of her bowel and nearly half of her liver. Despite chemotherapy, the cancer has returned in multiple areas, leaving her with limited options under the NHS. She is currently registered disabled and requires urgent alternative treatment.
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The family is seeking specialised therapy at the Hallwang Clinic in Germany, which offers personalised treatment by analysing tumour samples to identify medicines that specifically target Christine’s cancer mutations. This approach is not currently available on the NHS and comes with an initial cost of £78,000, expected to rise above £100,000 when considering travel and accommodation.
Laura, who gave up a twelve-year career in recruitment management to care for her mother full-time, shared the impact of the losses she has endured: “I lost my dad to a brain tumour when I was young, and 18 months later my brother died of leukaemia at just 22. I collected his degree from the University of Birmingham on his behalf. Now, I’m facing losing my mum.”
She added, “My mum has fought bravely, undergoing major surgeries and chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the treatments haven’t stopped the cancer’s return. The chemotherapy has had limited effect, and surgery now carries great risks due to her weakened immune system.”
The crowdfunding campaign launched by Laura aims to raise £12,000 as an initial target towards the full cost of treatment, and so far has raised over £2,000.
On the fundraising page, Laura wrote, “My mum is an amazing mother, wife, and grandmother. We are not ready to say goodbye. She has battled cancer for nearly four years, and after multiple surgeries and chemotherapy, our options in the UK have been exhausted. The treatment in Germany could significantly extend her life or possibly cure her.”
She appealed to the community for support: “Any donation, big or small, will give us a chance to save my mum’s life. We will be eternally grateful. Thank you for reading our story.”