A mother-of-four battling stage 4 bowel cancer is hopeful of getting treatment abroad after a £35,000 fundraising goal was smashed within days.
Electra Peart, who has been fighting cancer since December 2021, found an innovative treatment in Japan.
The 38-year-old said: “I was originally diagnosed with incurable and inoperable bowel cancer.
“On December 21, just days before Christmas, I was given my first chemotherapy treatment and had a very good response to it.
“I was very hopeful that this big, long surgery would be a curative option for me.”
Miss Peart, who lives in Needham Market, underwent 12 hours of surgery to remove as much cancer as possible.
Unfortunately, the surgery left her with damage to the nerves in her left foot, leaving her disabled and unable to walk without an aid.
A follow up scan in January showed that the cancer had spread to her liver and again to her lymph nodes.
“I had asked for more chemo but my oncologist said I was too poorly for it. I’m still waiting for it,” the woman added.
The idea to look for a treatment abroad came from a friend of Miss Peart who was treated in Japan for colon cancer.
Miss Peart said: “Treatments in Japan are so much advanced than ours.
"I will be having an immunotherapy, specifically dendritic cell therapy, which is not available in England."
The family set their goal to collect at least £35,000 to cover two trips to Japan and the treatment.
Miss Peart, who is a mum of two-year-old twins, four-year-old girl and six-year-old boy, said she is "incredibly" supported by her partner James and her cousin.
She added: “The support I’ve been receiving from family, friends and even old school friends and strangers is really heartwarming.
“Everybody has gone that extra mile to donate and share the fundraising.
"It just blew up and we already raised to our target. I didn’t think it’s going to happen this quickly."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here