Friends and family rally round to support mum with skin cancer

Skin cancer sufferer Sian Clarkson at a fundraising day in Yaxley. Also pictured is her daughter Belle (4) and son Josh (5) EMN-160423-172557009

Sian Clarkson (27) was diagnosed with stage four melanoma two years ago, and doctors told her there was no cure for her illness.

Sian, a mum of two from Yaxley, is now urging others to make sure they slap on the sunscreen to protect themselves from the Sun’s UV rays.

Sian, mum to Isabelle (4) and Joshua (5), said: “In February 2014 I found a lump in my breast. I went to the doctors , who sent me to Peterborough City Hospital.

Skin cancer sufferer Sian Clarkson at a fundraising day in Yaxley. She is pictured with members of her family EMN-160423-172614009

“The results came back as stage four melanoma, and there was no cure.

“At the time there was only one or two treatments available. If I stop the treatments, doctors have told me I would only have a few months, but the treatment has been working so far.

“When I was told the diagnosis, I was devastated. I was shocked. I thought I had breast cancer, and I didn’t know what it was I had been diagnosed with.

“The specialist had never seen anything like this before. I saw a skin cancer nurse before the end of the day, who said it was very rare.

Skin cancer sufferer Sian Clarkson at a fundraising day in Yaxley. She is pictured with fundraisers Natalie Handley, Toni Stimpson, Erica Gee, Rachel Cox and Rebecca Mott EMN-160423-172640009

“The biggest feeling was guilt - but it is part of life. I am grateful to still be here.

“The children know there is nothing doctors can do to help mummy. Joshua knows there will be a time when I’m not here.

“The doctors have been amazing, the support, including the emotional support, they have given is incredible.

“I didn’t know anything about skin cancer before I was diagnosed.

“The big message is for parents to put sun cream on their children. As a teenager I was terrible for it. Doctors think that I may have had a mole as a teenager with a rogue cell.

“I smoked for years and years, and gave up at new year a couple of months before I was diagnosed. It is one of those things, but if you can do little things to prevent things happening, they all help.”

Sian made the appeal after a community fun day was held in Yaxley to raise money to send her and her young children on holiday to Disney World in America.

The event took place on Saturday at the Three Horseshoes Pub, and was organised by a group of mums - Erica Gee (34), Rebecca Mott (35), Natalie Handley (28), Toni Stimpson (32) and Rachel Cox (40) - who met Sian as they dropped their children at school.

Rebecca said: “We started to really get to know Sian a few weeks ago. We started talking, and said we had to try to do something to help her and her family. Rachel decided to have her hair shaved off, and from that conversation we decided to have the day.”

Erica said: “The last few weeks we have bonded so well. All our children are the same age, and go to the same school - they will all grow up together.”

Toni said they had all been shocked by the support the community had given to the event.

She said: “We could not believe how many people turned up. There was a real community spirit that was shown. There must have been 800 people who were there.”

Rachel added: “All the companies who donated prizes for the raffle, and the staff at the Co-op have been fantastic, and we could not have done it without them.”

Sian said: “I have never seen so many people before. It was very humbling.”

In total the event raised £2071.23, and the group have more events planned for the future. On May 28 at the Three Horseshoes in Main Street, Yaxley, there will be a race night to add to the funds. The event will start at 8pm.

A fundraising page has also been set up online. To donate to the campaign, visit https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/toni-stimpson?utm_id=2