Desparately Seeking... Help with Breast Cancer Costs

Hi. My name is Tara Hughes. I've never done something like this so not sure where to begin... but here goes. 18mths ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. No one really knows how they will react when they hear those dreaded words, but rather then think of myself, all I could think of was my 2 children 17yrs and 11yrs at the time. How to I tell them, when do I tell them, they are so young, how will they cope with the news? Then I was thinking about my friends, family, partner, clients, pets... Typical me, I wanted to know all about the cancer, how to treat it, what I was in store for etc - get the business side of things sorted, then I could get emotional.

I had alot of time to think about things, reasearch & talk to people before I got the results, saw the oncologist, genetitist or surgeon. I decided the odds didn't sound good, so I did not have chemotherapy and stalled the operation to follow a more natural path of healing. For 18 months I held the cancer at bay. Every 3months I had bloodtests and an ultrasound and each time things were looking good. Cancer antigen levels kept coming down, liver and kidney function went back to normal and my ultrasound showed the cancer had not grown. Everyone was happy.... until... The 3 months between my last test and this one showed a huge change. The cancer had spread around the breast, into my lymph nodes and another mass of cells were gearing up to turn into a second lump. 2 separate surgeons agreed that I need an operation sooner rather then later. 3 more months could mean I become inoperable.

The public system means a wait of 3 months minimum, which could be too late. The private sector means I can be seen as soon as 9th September. Great you say, go for it. Unfortunately, a long story short, I cancelled my health insurance and before I renewed it, I found out I had cancer. Murphy's Law or just plain bad luck.

I urgently need the operation and have exhausted all avenues available to me to raise the funds - I just can't do it. So now I am desparate and having to do something I hate to do - ask for help and for money. I am just not this type of person. Too independent and stubborn. But without the operation... well I don't even want to think about it.

The funds I raise with your help, will go on a mastectomy operation, the hospital costs and stay for 5 days following. I will need 6-8weeks off work to recover as they need to use skin from somewhere else on my body. My cancer has progressed so much and is too near the skin surface that they cannot save all of my skin.

I appreciate any help you can give. Please share to your facebook page, at work, sports clubs and churches. I am grateful to you for any help, even your prayers. I am not ready to give up yet. My children need me. There is still so much to see and do in life. I want to meet my future grandchildren. I want to be able to thank you all either in person or through facebook, emails etc one day.

Thank you in advance. God Bless.

Tara Hughes