North Derbyshire mum given weeks to live smashes £60,000 appeal for treatment abroad

Amy Smith of Dronfield Woodhouse has a spinal tumour which affects her arms and legs. She said: "I can’t move from the neck down. I’m virtually bedbound. I can’t walk but I can sit in a wheelchair. The hardest part is losing the strength and the movement in my arms. My right arm is completely useless, it won’t move at all. I can move my left hand but as soon as I put something in my hand it won’t move. My husband has to feed me and do everything – I never wanted my husband to be my carer. He is an amazing man."

After three courses of chemotherapy at Weston Park Hospital failed to stop her tumour growing, the 42-year-old mum of one has been told there is nothing more that can be done. Amy said: "I'm not willing to give up just yet. I can't possibly leave my daughter, Isla, who is 11, and such a brave girl. She’s used to me being in and out of hospitals and having treatments.

"I have an astrocytoma which is a brain tumour but mine is in my spine so it's difficult to treat. There is nothing more available in the UK for my type of tumour.

"I've found a doctor in Germany who could potentially treat me. I've had the initial consultation and he wanted all my medical records. I'm hanging on to every hope that I might get somewhere with him. This is my final chance. I’m not expecting miracles. If this doesn't work, I will continue to research until it's my last day."

The clinic which Amy is pinning her hopes on is Biotherapy International, founded by Prof Shimon Slavin who is one of the world-leading researchers in anti-cancer immunotherapy. At the German branch of the clinic, oncological diseases are treated with the latest methods of immunotherapy, as well as regenerative medicine treatments such as stem cell therapy. The branch also offers other experimental techniques that are not yet approved by evidence-based medicine.

A Gofundme appeal for Amy’s cause has raised more than £27,000 since the link was posted at teatime on January 21 on the Facebook page of The White Retreat Aesthetics and Skin Clinic, a business which she owns. Amy said: “I'm overwhelmed. I can't believe the kindness of people - I'm so grateful. I thought I’d only get about £80. Thank you to everyone who has donated - it means so much.”

Her health issues began in 2016 when Amy, who has a background in dentistry, noticed numbness in her hands. She said: "I was sent for an MRI and then had 11 hours surgery during which they removed 95 percent of a large tumour from my neck. I went into hospital for six months and when I came out they found the tumour was still growing so I had chemotherapy and radiotherapy which did its job.

"When I came out of spinal injuries they told me that I would never walk again. I had an amazing neurophysio, James Hart, at Chesterfield Royal Hospital who got me walking again. I was walking within a month and gradually it got better and better. But once we hit lockdown my walking got wobbly and I had weakness in my arms.

"I kept having MRIs every three months. I was at Meadowhall with Isla in October 2022 when I started to notice my symptoms coming back regarding the numbness in my legs. They brought my MRI forward and they found that there was activity again with the tumour. The only option was chemotherapy, after two cycles it wasn't working so they tried a third one which they wouldn't normally treat my cancer with.

"Over Christmas 2023 I got taken into hospital and they did my MRI scan which showed that everything was progressing. They decided to take me off all treatment and told me I've got weeks left. Weston Park Hospital has been amazing - they have done everything they can for me."

Her husband Jon said: "When a doctor says weeks you don't know what that means. They made an appointment for me to see Amy’s oncologist who said it would be pushing it to get to six months. With the previous MRIs they can see how much it’s grown; as it gets bigger, it will grow faster.” Amy said: “We’re short of time.”

To donate to the appeal, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-my-life-with-treatment-in-germany