Mum’s plea: ‘Please help save my life’

Primary school teacher Audrey Morgan Kindregan was first diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2011. She underwent a radical hysterectomy and internal radiation or brachytherapy but the cancer returned over two years later.

She was treated with a grueling course of chemotherapy, radiation and brachytherapy. By 2016 she learned the disease had struck yet again when she noticed abnormal bleeding. This time she had reached the limit of radiation and chemo so her medical team had no choice but to go down a radical surgical route.

The pelvic exenteration surgery involved removing all female reproductive organs, in addition to her bladder, urethra and all tissue in the pelvic cavity and necessitated her having a urostomy, which allows urine to exit the body via a stoma in the stomach.

Recovery from the life-changing operation was slow and complicated as Audrey was hit with many complications, including kidney blockages and lymphedema

Last May she received the dreaded news that two cancer tumours and cancer spots had been detected.

“I just couldn’t believe it. My family couldn’t believe it and my poor son was terribly shocked and affected by this traumatizing news. My heart went out to Oisin, my poor boy who has seen enough cancer in a small few years to last him a lifetime. My options at this stage were limited to one – palliative chemotherapy.”

After one session she decided against continuing the chemo due to its harsh effects on her already depleted immune system. She feels she has no option but to undergo an immunotherapy treatment called Pembrolizumab.

“Immunotherapy is a ground-breaking way of treating cancer because unlike chemotherapy it doesn’t spread through the body like poison killing both good and bad cells. Instead, it works with your immune system in building an immunity to fight against cancer. Researchers feel that the future of the fight against cancer lies in immunotherapy.”

Unlike in the USA, immunotherapy is not yet licensed in Ireland for cervical cancer patients so the HSE are extremely reluctant to fund it. There is no current clinical trial here.

“Essentially my hands are tied with regard to accessing the drug,” Audrey reflects.

A fortnight ago she launched a plea on a crowd funding website for help in paying for immunotherapy, which costs in the region of €8,500 per session and is carried out once every three weeks.

Since the diagnosis, she has been forced to take long leaves of absence from her teaching job at Scoil an Chroí Naofa in Ballinasloe. Her husband Shane is an aircraft maintenance engineer who had to transfer from Galway Airport to Dublin Airport when the former closed down in 2013. He lives in Dublin during the week returning at weekends to be with Audrey and their son Oisin, 12, at their home in Ballymacward.

“It’s far from ideal but just because a person gets cancer, doesn’t mean the bills stop coming through the door. In actual fact they increase your monthly family costs through the addition of medical costs, medication, therapeutic equipment, travel to appointments, childcare for Oisin and the list goes on. I have been receiving no pay for the most part of my struggle,” she reveals.

“This is a very difficult task for me to ask people to donate to a fund in a bid to save my life.”

So far €55,000 has been raised in under a fortnight. She has set a target of €150,000.

“The way the page took off has me in awe. People have been so kind with their love, their words, their time and their money. I’m overwhelmed when I look at the page,” she admits.

Audrey has just spent two weeks in University Hospital Galway and has been transferred to St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin under the care of a new consultant who is willing to prescribe the drug privately.

“As soon as my situation improves they will start the immunotherapy – hopefully this week and I’ll have my first dose over by the time I’m leaving St Vincent’s Hospital. The treatment goes on indefinitely.

“I had a really bad weekend and nobody thought I’d see the opportunity to get any immunotherapy but I’ve a fight in me.”

■ Donations can be made on gofundme.

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