Help Samantha with her battle from bowel cancer and her 28 week premature little boy!

At 26 years of age and 28 weeks pregnant Samantha was diagnosed with Stage 3 Bowel Cancer. The tumor had caused a serious infection in her blood, and the only way the infection could be properly treated was for her son to be delivered early via caesarean.

The infection needed to be treated with a strong course of antibiotics so Samantha could have a chance to recover before the first round of chemotherapy and radiation could start.

Samantha’s cancer was so advanced, the time between diagnosis and beginning of treatment was 2 weeks.

She spent four weeks fighting the infection and recovering from surgery (for her caesarean), and due to the cancer and during her c-section she was also given an illiostomy bag.

Samantha is currently undergoing chemotherapy everyday and radiation treatment five days a week. This is the first part of her journey. Once her first round of treatment is finished, she will have surgery to remove the tumor, remove her uterus (due to her cancer), and be given a permanent colostomy bag. All that is also then followed by a second round of chemotherapy that will take place over the following four months. She is also now facing having a permanent colostomy bag at 26 years old.

Samantha also has chronic Endometriosis so her son really is a blessing. After the cancer diagnosis she was also told she also couldn’t have any more children due to the removal of her uterus and early onset menopause because of the radiation. Because treatment had to start as soon as possible, it was also not possible to harvest any of her eggs.

Her son, who is a fighter just like his mum will be in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit for a further 12 weeks before he is able to come home.

Samantha saved her son and her son saved her – we just want this treatment to be a success so her little boy can have his mum forever.

We as a family have a very long road ahead. While she is taking one day at a time and staying strong for her little boy, we need your help. Help to cover travel costs, the extra time she is taking off work and any other expenses that undoubtedly arise with constant hospital trips. It would also be lovely to look forward to a quiet trip away for a weekend when all of this is over, and begin to heal as a family.