Brave mum-of-four marries while battling terminal cancer
THE newlywed husband of a Derbyshire Dales woman with terminal cancer has spoken of how the couple and their four children are coping with the devastating illness.
Drew and Veronika Fletcher, from Bakewell, first received the diagnosis in Easter 2018 when Veronika discovered a lump in her left armpit.
Since her diagnosis, the 34-year-old has undergone various chemotherapy in an effort to tackle the stubborn form of breast cancer.
Drew, 38, an airline captain, said: “Veronika doesn’t have a cure. It started in the left hand side, and after the treatment we do have a lump in the right hand side which has grown slightly.
“The problem with her cancer is she carries the BRCA 1 gene. It’s very aggressive, and although it’s not spread anywhere other than both armpits and breast tissue, it is stubborn.”
The BRCA1 gene is a mutation in one of the breast cancer genes and means the carrier has a much higher chance of contracting that form of cancer.
Drew explained how his wife’s tumour started in her left side, but spread to her right armpit and breast tissue during chemotherapy.
After completing 18 rounds of chemo, two surgeries and three weeks of radiotherapy, the tumours returned twice, putting any further surgery on hold while she receives oral chemotherapy to contain the cancer and keep the tumour as small as possible.
Drew added: “It’s grown half a centimetre in about a month and a half. We don’t have a cure as such, it’s more continuous treatment to manage it and keep it as small as possible. It’ll be surgery, chemo, radio they’ve said might be an option, but only because it’s the opposite side because you can’t do it twice in the same area.
“We’re just trying to manage it and keep it small and this drug that she’s currently on has probably stopped working now, that’s why it’s kind of grown. “Someone’s always got it worse, you know? That’s the way I try and look at it; there’s always someone worse off.”
Since Veronika’s diagnosis, she and Drew have opened a pair of holiday lets for extra income, got married and moved house, all while looking after their four children – Poppy, 12, Danny, 10, Theo, 9, and Ella, 6.
Drew has also taken part in a wide variety of fundraising events to help raise money for Macmillan who have supported the family.
He said: “I have cried, I have lost my temper, I have felt anger and I have felt helpless.
“The whole way through Macmillan have been supportive, positive and help people when they really do need it. From that first time when they tell you, it does hit you like a tonne of bricks. But right from that room, Macmillan are there. Whether it’s putting an arm round you, making you a cup of tea, asking how you are, explaining what’s going on.
“I’m not ashamed to say I’ve broken down in front of nurses, but they’ve been there to take you to the side and look after you.
“I knew I wanted to do something and I wanted to continually do something. I know how brilliant the charity is, and the resources they provide are fantastic.”
Since starting his fundraising, and braving the shave while Veronika’s treatment made her hair fall out, he has raised more than £14,000 for Macmillan. He now hopes to complete a marathon to raise money for the charity.