A single mum has issued a heartbreaking plea to raise funds for alternative treatment after being diagnosed with incurable cancer. Victoria Baillon, 37, from Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire, is fighting to prolong her life with Stage 4 cancer so that she has more time with her two children.
Victoria is yet to tell her young kids, Austin, eight, and Eva, six, anything about her debilitating illness - but will be explaining to them "as soon as possible" as the progression of the disease has become very serious. Victoria told the Mirror: "My children are my whole world, I adore them so much.
"Every time I see their happy faces they make me feel so loved and I realise why I need to fight as hard as I can and stay determined."
The mum-of-two was first diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer in November 2020, where she underwent a mastectomy and presumed she had the all-clear.
Then Victoria's health deteriorated as the cancer appeared in other areas of her body such as her neck, spine, liver and lungs.
Despite being told that she wouldn't be able to stand for a year, Victoria amazed everyone with her extraordinary strength and courage to stand, walk, dance and even run.
After further investigations and tests, doctors revealed in December that the treatment wasn't working and she had advanced Stage 4 metastasis to the bone.
In an emotional plea to her Instagram followers on @life_with_victoria_charlotte, Victoria said: "They cannot be left without their mummy, I care for them and love them so very much and I'm pleading from the bottom of my heart for you to give anything you can to have them with me for as long as possible."
Friends of Victoria have raised £22,000 for an oxygen chamber but she still needs £40,000 for immunotherapy that isn't offered in the UK.
"I've had to have talks about end of life care, resuscitation, hospice care and what the outlook is realistically like for me, which has been absolutely heartbreaking and so difficult to deal with," Victoria said.
"The problem is my cancer is showing to be extraordinarily active. I am desperately asking for help to support me for a life I can have as long as possible with my children.
"There so many complimentary treatments and alternative treatments that England and the NHS just don't provide, and I know these treatments work as I've seen people who have lived 10-25 years after a terrible prognosis and end of life care.
"Ultimately, I don't have months to wait for funds to come in. It's at a severe stage now that I need these treatments within weeks.
"I absolutely hate asking and begging but I am desperate, for the sake of my beautiful children. I just want to get better and go back to my normal life, not living this nightmare every day."
Her friend of 25 years, Christina Zealey, wrote on her fundraiser: "Despite the incurable diagnosis, Victoria being Victoria is ever the optimist and wants to fight this cancer head-on, especially for her children.
"As resilient as Victoria is, there is only so much one person can do, she has two young children to try and be strong for, she really needs our help."
If you would like to donate to Victoria's treatment, please visit her fundraising page online.
Do you have a story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
