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Young Mother’s Breast Cancer Returns as Stage 4, Driving Her to Private Care

Her prognosis is estimated at three years following the NHS decision to decline sacral radiotherapy

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Overview

  • After a minor January crash, Rachel Garfitt’s worsening back pain was repeatedly diagnosed as sciatica until she recognized her symptoms from an advanced breast cancer leaflet
  • A CT scan revealed a 7 cm spinal tumour that had fractured her bone and confirmed the return of her cancer as incurable stage 4 with bone metastases
  • Denied sacral radiotherapy on the NHS, she traveled to Scotland for private radiation aimed at stabilising her spine and improving mobility
  • She remains on an NHS regimen of Ribociclib, hormone-blocking therapy and bone-strengthening injections and is awaiting results from her latest scans
  • Facing mounting treatment costs and an approximate three-year outlook, she has launched a GoFundMe campaign and is exploring emerging therapies such as Capivasertib, Alpelisib and tissue-free biopsies