Wil 2 Live

Update 10th October

It is with a very heavy heart that I have to share the news that our dear Wilhelmina lost her brave battle with cancer. She passed away peacefully at home, her happy place, surrounded by all her family just before 6pm on Sunday.

Charles, Sacha, Alayna, Freya and Aurelia, along with Wil's sister, brother and parents have been truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support shown by so many people.

As far as this Givealittle page goes, our attention turns to Charles and the girls. They need our support now more than ever to get through this next stage of the journey they're on. Please continue to donate and support them while they re-adjust their life. They need us now.

Please see page update for more information.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Original Page Content:

Just over a year ago, I started a Givealittle page for my dear friend, Wil. The response was so lovely, heartfelt and for Wil who would rather give than receive, quite overwhelming. The amount raised, thanks to the incredible network of family, friends and friends of friends enabled her to explore alternative treatments to heal her breast cancer. It gave her peace, took her on a Magical Mystery Tour (MMT – her words) to Australia which also enabled her to meet new friends, traveling that same path.

This thing is, people who have metastatic disease, they don’t look sick. She hides her pain and continues her daily concern and care for others. But it’s really, seriously time to focus that care and concern on her, because cancer being the dog it is, is relentless and the treatments costly. It was originally her intention to fly to Germany or Mexico or Oklahoma to find “the cure”, however since the original page was set up Wil has found that the cancer has spread to her spine (discovered whilst treating 2 fractured vertebrae) and lungs after experiencing shortness of breath and a cough she couldn’t shake. She is unable travel and now even finds difficulty in walking.

There is a chance for some real help, in the form of Cesium Chloride, which is taken topically. In laymen’s terms, it specifically targets, penetrates and attacks the cancer cells. However, the cost of the medication is at least $680 per month and she’ll need more than one prescription, plus consultations and scans and then a significant amount of bone strengthening supplements. She also has to take very strong pain killers and this will be extended until her brittle bones heal. This treatment will have to continue for the rest of her life.

The problem is that Wil cannot work as a Porse carer with children that she has to pick up or look after, or go for walks. This is heart-breaking for her as the children are her joy, the reality is that it’s just too hard. She has also put her beloved graduate diploma in lifestyle medicine training (which she is hitting out of the park!) on hold so she can 100% focus on her health and getting back on top.

So we want to replace Wil’s income for the next two years and make sure she has a fair and decent chance of getting well. That’s why we are setting this goal, which will enable a worry-free period (financially) and total focus on the thing that most matters.

Wil’s MMT started back in November 2014…this is her story.

She is the adored wife of Charles and devoted Mama to her 4 amazing daughters, Sacha (15), Alayna (13), Freya (10) and Aurelia (8). Much loved daughter, sister and aunt, cherished friend and neighbourhood crusader. She's also a second mum, Mama Wil to her many past and present Porse children.

Her life has always been about people, from nursing those with end-stage cancer, to psycho-therapy training, to her current roles as a Porse Educator and Life Coach, she is devoted to helping and supporting others both in her career and personal life.

In November 2014, her life changed forever. A lump was discovered in her right breast. After various tests, one lump turned out to be five and involved her lymph nodes, plus two more were found in her left breast. Following more tests, a month later, just two days before Christmas she got the final diagnosis. Ductal Carcinoma in Situ in her right breast, a very aggressive cancer with lymph node involvement and Ductal Carcinoma Tubular in her left breast. Then just to add some more fun, Wilhelmina was also told about a 'slightly suspect' Haemangioma (abnormal collection of blood vessels) on her liver which they were again 99% sure was nothing. It wasn’t nothing and after 6 months of aggressive and soul-destroying chemotherapy, all while continuing her role as Porse carer…with Charles gaining his qualifications to take the reins when needed, it was confirmed in her liver too.

To this, her doctors said there was no point in performing a mastectomy – the original course of action, as they believed it would not prolong her life and essentially told her there was nothing more they would, or could do.

So Wil’s dogged determination to heal herself headed her off on her MMT, with a fairly loose prognosis, it could be 2 years, it could be 30. Well naturally this champion chose 30 and is doing all she can, including making radical lifestyle changes and seeking out ground-breaking and proven alternative therapies.

She desperately wants to live...she has so much to live for and so many people want and need her to stay around! Well, now it's time to get some of that support she has given all her life, given back to her. She was initially against this page being set up - it didn't sit well with her. But as time has gone on, treatments have been suffered through and it's taken a toll on her.

Please help this amazing family have some relief and go forward as they go through this. We will keep this page updated.

Thank you