Glasgow mum vows to keep fighting after heartburn revealed to be incurable cancer

Stephanie Scullion was left devastated when she found out her back pain and indigestion had been symptoms of an “extremely rare” sarcoma cancer in 2020, just before lockdown.

The condition normally affects bones and soft tissue however tragically the 36-year-old’s has taken over her left lung and is now attached to her heart.

Stephanie will never be free of her sarcoma

It means the brave mother has been forced to accept that she will never be free of the cruel illness, but has vowed to keep fighting for her seven-year-old daughter, Savannah.

She now hopes to travel to Mexico to attend a Hope4Cancer centre which could offer her life pro-longing treatment to give her more time to watch her child grow up.

Stephanie, from Castlemilk, told the Glasgow Times: “My whole world has just crumbled around me. I am so scared for my wee girl.

“I’m also angry this has happened to my family. Savannah is only seven. She doesn’t deserve to lose her mum.

“I had pain in my back and breathlessness, which at first doctors put down to stress and anxiety, but then I started to get really bad heartburn in my chest.

“After that I started coughing blood and got scans before finding out I had cancer and there is no cure or way to save me.

“I need this treatment in Mexico for my little girl. I’m just not ready to leave her.

“I want to stay around as long as possible to watch her grow up but it costs £60,000.

“As soon as I have the money I will be on the next flight out to go. I want to pro-long my life as much as I can for Savannah.

“I have to figure out a way to do it, there just is no other option.”

Stephanie doesn't want to leave Savannah

The cancer treatment center in Tijuana offers "multi-dimensional recovery" programmes which fight the condition through "non-toxic treatment plans".

After a consultation with doctors, Stephanie was told they can offer and trial a range of laser therapies to target her cancer therefore improving her quality of life.

Stephanie, Savannah, and mum Rhonda

It comes after NHS doctors tried to remove her lung at the Golden Jubilee in Clydebank, but sadly realised during the nine-hour operation she would not survive the procedure if they did so.

She had faced six grueling months of chemotherapy to prepare her body for the surgery but was distraught to be told it was unsuccessful when she woke up after it.

Stephanie hopes to prolong her life for her child

Despite her heartbreaking situation, Stephanie is determined to stay positive for Savannah and won’t give up hope.

She is hosting a fundraiser at the King's Park Hotel in Glasgow which promises a DJ, major prizes, and games.

Tickets are £20 and all money goes towards securing treatment for the brave parent as she fights to keep her sarcoma at bay.

She said: “Life just throws these things at you and you need to deal with them. I really just want to be happy.

“The fundraiser is to help save up for Mexico to let me do that.

“It will have raffles with great prizes. People have been really generous, you can even win a full face of botox.

“My family has been really great during this time especially my mum, Rhonda Gardener, she has been my rock.

“We arranged it just to help reach our £60,000 target so hopefully people will come along and help out.”

Tickets are available by contacting Stephanie at stephaniescullion70@gmail.com.

A GoFundMe was also set up by loved ones, which has raised more than £16,000, which you can donate to here.

The page reads: “Stephanie’s little girl Savannah has been watching her mum go through all this for too long now and needs her to get better.

“She can’t go through every day worrying if her mum is going to be okay, she needs her healthy happy mum back by her side.

“Stephanie would also like anyone else who is also battling with cancer to get in contact with her to find out more about this treatment and hopefully she can give them some hope.

“We would like to thank anyone who has made it this far, for listening to Stephanie’s story and any donations no matter how little, big or even just a share are so appreciated."