A mum-of-three believed her itchy hands were being caused by a household cleaning product - before finding out she has a rare and deadly form of cancer. Now the 58-year-old is fighting against the clock to raise money to fund lifesaving treatment that comes at a huge cost.
Maria Barry, 58, who lives in Harrow, north west London, with her children, Nico, 32, Luca, 30, and Nadia, 27, began suffering from itchy and cracked hands during the first lockdown in March 2020. At first, Maria thought it was a reaction to a new cleaning product she was using, but in April 2022, she was diagnosed with bile duct cancer.
This cancer is rare with around 1,000 new cases a year in the UK, according to the NHS. Without treatment, she now has just three to six months to live.
