Mum's appeal for more time with son

A mum from Ramsey with a terminal brain tumour is appealing for help to fund pioneering surgery to give her more time with her young son.

Amelia Martin (41), was diagnosed with a papillary meningioma four years ago.

Despite surgery to remove it followed by gruelling radiotherapy, the tumour has returned and is now inoperable.

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Amelia says she’s desperate to undergo pioneering proton beam therapy in the hope she can prolong her life, and spend as much time with her six-year-old son, Dylan as possible.

An appeal to raise £75,000 for treatment at the Proton Therapy Center in Prague, Czech Republic has been launched. The appeal, which was set up by friend Cathy Sellars, has already broken through the £10,000 mark.

Amelia said: “If it was just me it wouldn’t matter so much, but I want it for my son and my family.”

She began to get pains in her head in 2013, but they were dismissed as migraines by her GP. She said: “I was getting shooting pains and pins and needles in my face. I kept going back and saying I was sure it wasn’t just a migraine. I just wish I had pestered them more. Sometimes you have to do that.”

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In early November last year, Amelia was given the devastating news that the tumour had returned and doctors said there was nothing more they can do. Amelia flew to Prague this week where she underwent tests to determine whether she would be eligible for treatment. Doctors confirmed she would be suitable, but they had to act fast.

Amelia said: “I had a scan at the start of November at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and another one this week in Prague, and it showed it had grown five to six centimetres in that time.

“So the Proton Therapy Center say they can give me treatment but I need it really quickly.”

Cathy said: “Amelia is the kindest, most positive person I have ever met. She is a much loved mum, wife, daughter and sister. She wants to fight this tumour so that she can watch her son grow up and be around him for as long as possible.”

To help Amelia visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/amelianewby

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