Help fund bowel cancer treatment to extend Vanessa’s life expectancy
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Exceeded expectations
28 April 2023There truly is only one word to sum up the incredible generosity that has come from those near and far who have donated to make the absolute most out of Vee and Jays lives these past 5 months. That word…is WOW 🤩.
From day 1, we have been absolutely blown away watching the donations roll in and I was personally convinced there must have been a record broken. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of so many, Vee and Jay have not only been able to undergo the treatment, but the have been able to truly LIVE. They’ve been able to live without the burden of a massive hospital bill and have had the ability to choose to go ahead with the treatment without having to decide whether it would be “worth it” which we all know is a nearly impossible decision to make. What a gift! You enabled them to just get on with living life to the fullest, and have they ever!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for giving us all just a little more time with this incredible human being. I only wish there could be more.
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All good things must come to an end…
27 April 2023Posted by: Vanessa Willis née OatleyWell team give-a-little, it has certainly been an incredible ride and I’m sorry to have to update you all that this week we have made the decision, alongside our amazing oncologist, to stop the treatment I have been receiving over the last 22 weeks.
As you all know, we expected this to happen at some point and despite holding out hope that we might get another month or so of good results, we have not been able to make it that far. The cancer has reactivated and the drugs are no longer able to suppress the symptoms any longer.
Although this might seem like a real blow, to be completely honest, the overwhelming residual feeling I have about this whole experience is simply complete and utter gratitude. Without the generosity of the more than 350 absolute legends who contributed to the nearly $75k we raised, we wouldn’t have had all the incredible adventures and experiences we have had over the last 5 months. We sure have had so much fun and made some really special memories.
So to all of you who donated, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Without your help to fund the treatment I am 100% convinced I wouldn’t be here now writing this. You have enabled me to live fully for longer than I’d dreamed of and we are incredibly grateful for that.
Onwards with love,
Vanessa xxx
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139 days and counting! ♥️
10 April 2023Posted by: Vanessa Willis née OatleyHappy Easter everyone! It’s been a wee while since my last update so I thought I’d check in and let you all know what we’ve been up to and how things are going.
When this give a little page was set up last year I had no idea what a humbling and deeply moving experience it would be. Those of you who know me well will know I’ve never been very good at asking for help, but I was convinced by some very strong willed people (you know who you are 😉), that doing this was a good way for people who wanted to help to do that in a meaningful way.
Well, I can tell you, it doesn’t get much more meaningful than this. For the last 139 days I have been gifted a quality of life that I wouldn’t have dreamed was possible when the chemotherapy stopped working in October last year. I have gone from being unable to get out of bed with crippling nausea, bone ache, and abdominal pain, to being able to make the absolute most of almost all of the last 139 days. I’ve been able to do what I love the most; spending time with family and friends out and about or at home. I’ve laughed, cried, and hugged my way through the last four months and 19 days and I’ve loved every minute of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
On a practical note, I am about to go for my 10th infusion of the drug cetuximab on Thursday this week and I continue to take the debrafenib pills twice a day. The original treatment plan was for 12 fortnightly cycles, with the likelihood that after 12 the drugs would stop being effective and the cancer will rear its head again.
Over the last four months we couldn’t have asked the treatment to work any better. I have been incredibly well with only one short holiday in the hospital for a bowel obstruction. The side effects of the drugs have been really minimal, especially compared to the chemotherapy I had before. I have been very very lucky.
Over the last week or so I have felt less well and am facing the reality that things are starting to change and the effectiveness of the treatment is coming to an end. This sounds a little negative I know, but it’s been an incredible ride and acknowledging this doesn’t mean it’s over. We still have a wee way to go and as long as I’m still getting a decent quality of life then we will keep on keeping on! We can even go past the 12 cycles and carry on if it continues to be of ‘clinical benefit’. Happy days!
I hope you enjoy the short video I put together to capture just how we’ve been spending the last 139 days. As you can see, it’s been busy!
Love and gratitude always, onwards,
Vee xox
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This is amazing!! Living life to its fullest just love the video of all your adventures with your loved ones, looks like you have been having a ball.. Sending all of the positive vibes for many more ventures to come and the meds keep giving you the quality of life .. All of the love to you Big V xx
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A little video update
15 January 2023Posted by: Vanessa Willis née OatleyHi!
I’ve made a short video to update you on how my treatment is going. I hope you enjoy!
For those of you my that see my Facebook you’ll know that I’ve been super busy fulfilling my promise of living every single day this treatment buys me to the max, spending precious time with my family and friends over the last eight weeks or so. It’s been a whirlwind and amazing.
I plan to continue in the same way for as long as I can! So thank you again for your continued support. We are endlessly grateful.
All the very best and much love,
Vanessa
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This is so gorgeous!! You look like a million dollars. So glamorous! Love you sweetness x
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Feeling better, one day at a time
14 December 2022Posted by: Vanessa Willis née OatleyHi there,
I hope the preparations for Christmas are the kind that bring you smiles rather than stress and that everyone is looking forward to some kind of break over the next wee while.
To all those wonderful magical people who have supported us through this give a little page to be able to access the private cancer treatment, I thought you might like to know what an incredible impact it has had so far.
In the last three weeks I have gone from experiencing intense pain, nausea, fatigue, rapid weight loss and being at my absolute lowest psychologically, to today where I am lying comfortably in a camper van listening to the rain on the roof with no pain, no nausea, and the appetite of a tribe of teenagers. The only remaining side effect is the fatigue and who doesn’t love a good nap during the day?!?
The transformation is truly remarkable and each day I feel stronger in my body, mind and spirit. Without the benefit of the private treatment I know I’d be describing a very different and very grim situation here instead.
SO… THANK YOU! Thank you, thank you and thank you again for giving me the ultimate gift. The gift of more time. I am forever in your debt and forever humbled by the outpouring of so much love ❤️.
Vee xx
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Goal! 🥅
4 December 2022Hi team! We have just added a goal to the give a little page now that we have a bit more clarity around potential costs of the treatment. Please feel free to share the page link to your networks. Every little bit helps.
Thank you all for the amazing response so far! 🙏✨
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Bowled over 🎳
4 December 2022Posted by: Vanessa Willis née OatleyFirstly, thank you, thank you and thank you again for the incredible response to our give a little page. Wow. We are literally bowled over….we never imagined so many people would be so very kind, and honestly, I don’t have the words to describe our gratitude and appreciation. You’re all amazing and we are truly humbled.
With so many generous donations coming in we were able to press go on the first treatment last week and I have had the first of a possible twelve cycles of the new therapy. After thirteen rounds of aggressive chemo you would think I’d be an old hand at this, but new drugs mean new side effects and my body was a bit run down so it’s been a tough week to say the least. But…each day I am beginning to feel more like myself again and the pain I was experiencing has reduced.
At this stage we aren’t totally sure what the cost of the full treatment will be, but we know it is somewhere in the realm of $80 to $100k. With the support of our family, and your generous donations we have been able to go ahead with more certainty which is amazing. Tomorrow I have an appointment with Dr Jackson (the Oncologist) and we’re hopeful he’ll give me the nod that things are tracking positively so far. Fingers crossed team 🤞🙏.
Again THANK YOU all! We will keep you updated as things progress. In the meantime please know we are making the most of every precious minute.
Onwards, Vee & Jaime xxx
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Have been thinking of you and am so pleased to hear this news. Although it saddens me your going through this and to what measures it takes $$ wise to access such needed meds in today’s health system .. Just shows what lengths all of your loved ones through all your walks of life will support you 100% and will continue to have your back , we will keep on fighting with you through this.. lots of love and strength Vee.. can’t wait to have more updates on your progress. ❤️Stace xx
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Wow!
26 November 2022Posted by: Vanessa Willis née OatleyWhat an incredible and overwhelming response to our request for help….I have to say, I don’t think I’ve cried this much since this all happened. Yesterday I cried buckets…but not sad tears, amazing happy tears of gratitude.
Thank you to those of you who have donated, AMAZING! Thank you to Kristi James, the most formidable organiser and genuine friend, for making this page happen!
We are so incredibly grateful for every single dollar. We will update you on our progress as things track along with the new treatment. But for now, just THANK YOU.
Vee & Jay xox
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