Fresh blow for Melissa as cancer spreads

Dec 10 2008 By Adam Courtney

Melissa Huggins and fiancee James Pegram

Tragic brain cancer sufferer Melissa Huggins has been told the disease has now spread to her lower spine – rocketing the cost of lifesaving treatment to nearly £200,000.

Previously the Herald & News told how Melissa, 27, of Bremner Road, Staines, needed to raise £100,000 to fund proton radiotherapy treatment in America – the only form of procedure strong enough to kill her highly aggressive tumour, which is only available across the Atlantic.

But the teacher from St Ignatius Primary School in Sunbury has now been given a further hammer blow by her Charing Cross Hospital surgeon when he told her that the disease has now attacked her lower spine and the cost of treating her would now be £190,000.

Even if she manages to raise the amount, there is no guarantee doctors in Boston will treat her as the demand for proton radiotherapy far outstrips supply.

She expects a decision from them either later this week or early next.

Melissa, fresh from telling her heartbreaking story on GMTV on Tuesday December 9, and then again on London Tonight, is defiant and is only thinking about getting the green light to go to Boston.

She said: "I just have to go to America – it’s my only hope and the worst part is the wait. I think I knew there was a problem when I started getting back ache. I’d hoped it was nothing, but it wasn’t and what can you do?"

Melissa’s father Mark, of Mead Way, Ashford, who, along with wife Lorraine and the couple’s other daughter Katrina have so far raised about £16,000, is upset the spread of the disease was not picked up earlier.

He said: "I wonder why a full scan was not done before. This new diagnosis has obviously made things a lot worse. Radiotherapy would devastate her body so Boston is the only option. We will just have to wait and see what they can do for her.

"She’s got one shot, one chance. If it weren’t to work, they wouldn’t be able to do it again."

Outwardly fit and healthy, Melissa says she is in hardly any pain and says it’s confusing knowing what’s going on inside her body.

She said: "It’s strange but good in a way because people don’t comment that I look ill – I think if they did, I’d give up. I want to look like the Melissa I’ve always been.

"Even Fiona Phillips on GMTV got upset because she was shocked I looked so normal.

"I feel really positive about having gone on television – the programme has already had a lot of supportive emails and that’s lovely because it helps to keep you going.

"I do have my down days but my job is perfect because the children don’t treat me any differently – they’ll still say if I haven’t brushed my hair."

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