A mum-of-two was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer after seeking GP support for consistent heartburn.
Amie Walton, 29, needs to start a £35,000 treatment within four weeks to give her the best chance of survival after the cancer spread to her liver and lungs.
Her friends and family have launched a charity appeal in a bid to get Amie a form of radiotherapy called SIRT (Selective Internal Radiation Therapy), believed to be her only hope, Birmingham Live reports.
Following her diagnosis in September 2020, Amie - who has two young children - underwent chemotherapy and had 60 percent of her liver removed but sadly, the cancer returned.
Just before Halloween 2021, she was given the heartbreaking news that the cancer had travelled to her lungs, was terminal, and there was nothing more doctors could do. Her children Harry and Mia are seven and five.
She has been told a form of radiotherapy called SIRT (Selective Internal Radiation Therapy) could potentially enable her to watch her children grow up - but it's not available on the NHS and will cost £35,000 to have privately.
To stand a chance of being successful, this treatment needs to be carried out in December - so now Amie's fiance Chris Mills, her family and best friend Jess Davies have vowed to race against time to get the money to help save Amie's life.
"When you’re growing up, you expect your parents are going to go so you prepare yourself for that but you never think you are going to lose your best friend, that children are going to lose their mum," said Jess, 30, who lives near Amie in Sutton Coldfield.
"Her children Harry and Mia are little dreams, they are amazing," added Jess, who is godmother to both kids.
"We were supposed to be getting together for Halloween but Amie had just been told she was being put on palliative care and didn’t feel like it so I said I’d take the kids trick or treating.
"I was doing Mia’s make-up and I saw Harry go up to Amie and say: ‘Are you going to die?’ with a quiver in his voice. And Amie said: ‘I am, but I’m going to keep fighting, okay?’
"Harry broke his little heart and Amie sat there cuddling him. I looked at Mia and she had one tear which had dropped down her make-up. I said to her: ‘she’s going to be alright’ and winked, and she grinned at me.
"Amie's fiance Chris sat there with his head in his hands. This is why we have to do everything we can to help them. They want to do this operation in December so we basically have four weeks to save her life."
SIRT is a type of internal radiotherapy used to treat secondary and sometimes primary liver tumours that cannot be removed with surgery. While not a cure, it could prolong her life and enable her to have further treatment.
A JustGiving page has been set up and has already raised more than £21,000.
Amie, who is due to turn 30 in January and is looking forward to marrying engineer Chris, said: “Words can’t describe how grateful I am for all the people who have donated. If it wasn’t for them, it wouldn’t be possible for me to get the treatment I need.
"I am pleading with people to continue sharing and donating. I’m not ready to go anywhere just yet, I want to stay with my babies."
Jess, Amie's siblings and friends - known as #AmiesArmy - are hosting a charity event on Saturday December 4 at Walsall Rugby Club called Amie’s Big Fun Fundraiser.
Running from noon to late, there will be DJs, face painting, bouncy castle, a raffle, a date auction and more to try to raise as much as possible for Amie’s treatment.
Former cafe worker Amie's symptoms were easily ignored as she thought she just had severe heartburn, similar to what her mum and grandmother had suffered with over the years.
"She tried tablets but they only worked for a couple of hours then it came back," said Jess. "Eventually I persuaded her to go to the doctors and she was sent for a scan."
Initially doctors thought Amie had a blood clot but then they called her in urgently and gave her the news that it was cancer.
“I’ll never forget that day,” said Jess, who works in business protection. “Amie sent me a text which read: ‘It’s bad news. I’ve got cancer. I can’t talk. There’s nothing they can do. Talk later.’
“I dropped my phone and fell onto the floor. I felt angry she couldn’t call me. So I got up and went round. She was sitting there and, when I walked in, she just collapsed with her head on my shoulder.
“It was at that moment that I said I will keep going until it’s the last thing I do."
