Battle to raise £250k for mum’s ‘last hope’
A FAMILY is desperately fighting to raise £250,000 for a mum’s life-saving cancer treatment after running out of NHS options.
Mother-of-two Danielle Camilleri, of Llandaff, Cardiff, suddenly collapsed in front of her children – and the family were shocked when she was given just over a year left to live.
Now the 40-year-old’s family are trying to raise money for private treatment after NHS doctors said her cancer is terminal and there is little they can do.
Her sister Gabrielle Canham, 38, said: “We’ve been told that the cancer is inoperable and Danielle has been given 12 to 14 months to live.
“But there is no way she is giving up. She is determined to see her children grow up and be here for them.
“We still are in shock and cannot believe this is happening. Our world as a family has been devastated.
“Danielle can’t bear to tell the children as their life will never be the same again.”
Danielle’s NHS oncologist has referred her to Professor Ashkan in The London Neurosurgery Partnership for a dendritic cell vaccine which could be life-saving.
DCVax-L is a personalised vaccine made from each patient’s own dendritic cells – a type of cell that helps the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells.
But the treatment isn’t available on the NHS and can only be funded privately, which costs £250,000.
In an effort to save Danielle, her friends and family have set up a Gofundme page – already hitting over £19,400 as of yesterday lunchtime.
Gabrielle said: “We have got to do everything we can to raise this money for Danielle. It’s her last hope.”
Danielle was at home cooking when she dropped a spoon, lost control of her arm and collapsed on floor.
She was at home with her two children, Charlie-Grace, 10 and her seven-year-old son, Amias.
Gabrielle said: “I’d been talking to her on the phone about her wedding plans when it happend.
“It was terrifying for the children but luckily Brian came through the door and they ran for help from neighbours.
“Brian had to prise Danielle’s mouth open and give her CPR.”
Danielle, who runs her own nursery in Cardiff, was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales and given a CT scan which showed a shadow on her brain.
She was then given an MRI scan and told she had a tumour on her brain.
“There had been absolutely not one tell-tale sign she was gravely ill. We had no idea,” says Gabrielle.
“It was only when she had the fit and collapsed at home.”
Danielle and her partner of 17 years Brian were starting to plan their wedding before she became ill.
They decided to bring their wedding forward and planned it all in just 27 days. They said their vows in front of 110 guests in Llantilio
House, Monmouthshire.
She later underwent four hours of surgery in November to remove the tumour but it had grown so rapidly and she was diagnosed with a stage four Gliblastoma tumour – of a type so rare it doesn’t even have a name.
Danielle is now undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The funds will primarily go towards the treatment and to any home adaptations or care services that Danielle may need. They would also like to make some special family memories for her children and husband to cherish.