In Memory of Olga Lihou! Giving others the gift to fight

5 years ago on the 27/9/2016 my mum got diagnosed with Stage 3 C Breast Cancer and secondary Cancer of the Lymph nodes. Her breast cancer was HER2-positive breast cancer. It took them 6 months to diagnose my mum as her GP missed it and the person who conducted her initial biopsy, incorrectly performed the procedure first time round.

Initially mum was told they couldn’t do anything and they couldn’t remove the tumour due to the size. They gave her the option of having chemotherapy and if the tumours shrunk they would remove them. After 6 months of chemotherapy the tumours shrunk and mum had surgery on 13th March 2017, which they removed the lymph nodes and left breast. Mum finished the next lot of chemotherapy and radiation in November 2017. She then started her remission journey.

On New Year’s Day of 2018 , Mum had a turn. She woke not knowing how to get out of bed, not knowing how to open the door. She knew what she wanted to do but couldn’t perform the task. After tests we found out it had moved to her brain and she was diagnosed with Leptomeningeal cancer. This cancer is a rare complication of cancer in which the disease spreads from the original tumor site to the meninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord. On 3rd January 2018 she had brain surgery to remove the tumour. She then had targeted radiation of the area and chemotherapy.

Mum got through the second lot of cancer that travelled and continued being her. In early 2019 it returned for a third time. This time it had progressed more and Mum chose not to have surgery again, but to do targeted radiation only.

Mums cancer was never curable, it was always actions to give her more time and time she wanted to do amazing things. Travel, work and spend time with her family, friends & especially her Grandson. She never once let it stop her from doing what she wanted to do. She fought to do it all, told Doctors they had to work around her travel schedule as she didn’t want to give up anything!

My mum was brave, she had an amazing amount of strength and the day she chose to shave her hair was tough. I remember face timing her when she did. She was brave and scared all rolled into one. I regret not going with her that day. I regret not shaving my hair to support her that day. I should have been sitting with her. Making it a fun event to take away the fact of how sick she was. She chose to shave her hair, 1. as it hurt when her hair started falling out. Especially when she slept. 2. She didn’t want to look strange with bald patches and didn’t want to look like she was sick.

Mum met amazing people during her chemotherapy, some which didn’t have the funds to be apart of drug trials being they are and can be expensive. It used to upset Mum, especially of the younger people she met, and at that point in time she couldn’t do more to help them.

So between this, and being brave like mum, I’ve decided to shave my hair on her 2nd year anniversary, being Tuesday 26th October 2021. I want to raise money towards Prof. Phillip Clingans (mums second oncologist) research in the cancer that Mum had to enable others to gain access to drug trials and to assist them with their journey. To give them the time to do amazing things, to tick of bucket lists, or anything their heart desires like mum did.

It would be great if you could help me support this cause, to help me try and give back so others can live life to the max like Mum did, it would be greatly appreciated.

My head shave will take place on the 26th October and I’ll record it and post on my social media pages - Instagram& Facebook