Twins move in together ...at NINETY
Pioneering treatment is last hope for brave cancer girl, 3
TWINS Pauline Vincent and Jacqueline Hetherington celebrated their 90th birthdays by moving in together for the first time in 70 years.
And they set the tone for their flat share by feasting on a champagne, salmon and egg brunch.
Pauline and Jacqueline, who have had both vaccine doses, had been living in separate flats in the same sheltered accommodation in Ashburton, Devon.
They had upstairs, downstairs apartments. But Jacqueline’s daughter, Jaine Swift, 52, said: “They have such a close relationship and neither of them wanted to be alone – we realised it was a no-brainer.
“Ordinarily we would have had a party to celebrate their big birthday, but this was a present for them because they get to be together. It was an emotional day but such a lovely moment for us, with all the chaos going on in the world at right now.”
The sisters, who were born in Halifax, West Yorks, in 1931, moved to Devon in the 1960s.
Pauline had no children with her late husband Alan and worked as a secretary.
Meanwhile, Jacqueline raised four children – Ian 58, Andrew, 56, Jaine and Paul, 50 – with late husband Eric.
THE family of “little warrior” Elara Foxley are racing against time to raise enough cash to take her abroad for potentially life-saving treatment to treat advanced cancer.
Elara, three, has stage four neuroblastoma and without pioneering treatment in the US and Spain, her chances of survival are slim.
Her mother Nicky, 37, and her family are trying desperately to raise another £55,500.
They have already secured £185,500, but £241,000 will allow Elara to join groundbreaking international medical trials.
Elara has fought a gruelling battle against the disease and despite her painful operations and treatments, the little girl never complains or stops smiling.
Single parent Nicky said: “She was born prematurely but has always been a little fighter.
“Despite all this she still has a smile on her face. Being without my daughter is not an option. I simply cannot survive without her.
“My beautiful little girl was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma in December 2019 when she was just two-and-a-half.
“Neuroblastoma is a rare and aggressive childhood cancer with abysmal survival rates and her diagnosis was devastating.”
Doctors discovered that Elara had a large tumour in her abdomen and the cancer had also spread to her bones.
Nicky said: “This beautiful little warrior encountered eight rounds of hard-hitting chemotherapy every 10 days. She lost weight, was sick, lost her hair, but never complained
and always lit up the room with her bright and infectious smile.
“She has had countless transfusions of blood and platelets to aid her through this, including painful bone marrow tests.”
In March she then underwent a huge surgical procedure to remove the tumour.
Nicky said: “It was a very scary time and to protect Elara from the seriousness of her cancer, we told her that there was a ‘naughty monster’ in her tummy that needed to be taken out.
“We said her ‘super powers’ – chemo – had made him weak and he was getting evicted!”
Elara had further chemotherapy
and radiotherapy after the tumour was removed and for a while her family believed that she was cancer free, just in time to Christmas.
Then they were given heartbreaking news the disease had returned, this time in her spine and brain.
Nicky said: “Our outlook is very bleak to say the least. Survival is very uncommon when you relapse at this stage.
“Our medical consultants in the UK tell us they can merely attempt to manage the cancer to give us as much time together. Ultimately enjoy
there is no cure.” Nicky, of Henleyon-Thames, Oxfordshire, hopes to enrol Elara on the international trials as soon as possible.
The all-important funds will allow her to undergo treatment in New York and Barcelona.
Nicky said: “First she will have treatment at [London’s] Royal Marsden Hospital and then hopefully on to New York.
“She is the most amazing little girl, always smiling, never complaining despite all this. And her wit astounds me.”
Nicky told the Daily Express even if the family raises enough money, Elara will face a painful, daunting battle if doctors are to save her life. She said: “The treatment itself is very costly, along with the scans, travel and supplementary medication that comes with it. “It involves antibodies attacking the neuroblastoma cells by carrying radioactive iodine directly to the cancer cells to kill them.” Nicky said: “We have some savings and I know that times are incredibly hard for everyone, but I have to try all I can.
“I need to raise £241,000 by May and today, now, I ask for your help.” She told readers: “Please, please give as little or as much as you can. You will be forever in our hearts.”