A MAJOR fundraising event takes place tomorrow night to help a mum needing life- changing cancer treatment.
Lian Gittus is a PCSO based at Skewen Police Station who is currently on sick leave because she has an extremely rare form of cancer, Ewing's Sarcoma, a tumour on her spine. Family, friends and colleagues are rallying around to help her and have organised a fundraiser to help in case she fails to be granted proton therapy in America on the NHS.
A specialist has told the 33-year-old, from Godre'rgraig, that if she lived in England she would be sent to the US for treatment.
But she fears that as she lives in Wales she could be denied the precise form of radiotherapy and instead will have to have receptor medicated radiotherapy, which she has been told is less effective.
Now a fundraising drive is under way in case Lian cannot get the US treatment on the NHS, as paying for it privately will cost around £140,000. Colleague PCSO Cerys Jones said: "Lian has suffered with this illness for the past two years and is in extreme pain for much of the time. This has had a massive impact on not only her life but also on that of her husband, Jason and Chloe, their 11-year-old daughter. Due to the location of the tumour, within a vertebrae near her coccyx, it is not possible to operate without causing a significant amount of damage, possibly leaving her paralysed, but most certainly causing a significant amount of immobility.
"Intense chemotherapy has not worked and although radiotherapy is an option it will not fully remove the tumour and the cancer has a high chance of returning.
"Therefore the only option left for Lian is to go to America and have proton beam therapy."
Tomorrow's fundraising event takes place in the Towers Hotel, in Jersey Marine, starting at 7pm and includes an auction a raffle, buffet and disco.
Cerys said: "All proceeds will be going directly to Lian as The Towers has agreed to allow us to use the function room free and is paying for the buffet and DJ."
Tickets cost £5 and are available from Cerys on 07584 004658. To donate to the appeal, send a cheque payable to the Lian Gittus Donation Fund to Lian Gittus, c/o Skewen Police Station, New Road, Skewen SA10 6HH.