My name is Wendy West, I am a current patient of Barwon Health’s Andrew Love Cancer Centre and I am undergoing a clinical trial at the Adrian Costa Clinical Trials Centre. This is a new trial, and I was the first person in Geelong to have been lucky enough to meet all criteria for this treatment. In July 2021 it was discovered I have terminal cancer by chance.
I fell and fractured my back; this was when scans revealed I had terminal cancer. The doctor advised that I had small cell lung cancer that was not curable.
We were all so shocked. They said I has 12-18 months to live – that was more than two years ago. At one stage the one cancer in my brain turned into three cancers in just a seven-week period. As the cancers were growing so fast, they didn’t think any treatment could work.
It was the first week of December 2021 and they didn’t know if I would make it into 2022. My partner plays in the Glitter Gang Band and proposed to me on stage. I planned our wedding in just three weeks.
There was a time in hospital when I had the most extreme pain in the whole of my body, thinking I was going to die there and then. Four nurses came running, reassuring me that they would not leave me and that I was not going to die. I looked into their eyes and I could see tears and pure compassion. I will never forget how much they cared for me, as if I was their own mother.
It’s so nice to know there are still such caring people in this world and the teams at Barwon Health, from across the Adrian Costa Clinical Trials Centre, Andrew Love Cancer Centre, and the McKellar Centre, have all shown me that.
My family and I have grieved, but then I said let’s stop grieving now. I don’t want to be sad for the rest of my time. Let’s get out there and enjoy the rest of my time being happy, holidaying, gardening, dancing, doing things with my family, going to work, and doing all the ‘normal’ things I did before.
I believe this attitude has helped me get this far, but it’s the doctors, nurses and researchers of Barwon Health who have saved my life to date.
I urge you to help us raise funds to support the amazing work that is taking place at Barwon’s Health Adrian Costa Clinical Trials Centre.
With every donation, you are helping patients like me live a longer, more fulfilling life.
You can donate online, I’m lucky that my life has been extended because of a clinical trial.
I’ve been given the greatest gift of all….more time.
Many thanks,
Wendy West
DONATE NOW
