‘I hope my family will not have to pay for my funeral’
Brave Stacey, 36, faces new setback in her cancer battle
Desperate not to leave her family with a financial burden, Stacey Pentland had been saving all she can for her funeral, but following another tragic blow the mum-offour doesn’t know how long she has left.
After months of indescribable pain and gruelling chemotherapy, the mum received the crushing news that the incur able cancer destroying her body has grown.
And while she treasures every precious moment with her family and children, Stacey fears leaving her loved ones with expensive funeral costs when they are going through the pain of an unimaginable loss.
Sharing her journey to raise awareness and support others, the doting mum has almost 50,000 followers on social media platform TikTok.
And it has sparked one follower, Andrea Mulligan, to set up a Go Fund Me page – which has already accumulated £2,100 – to help cover her funeral costs.
Stacey was at her ‘happiest and fittest’ in April last year when the sudden onset of pain in her shoulder and stomach lead doctors to discover the unthinkable–that she had incurable cancer.
The mum-of-four, who moved to Newcastle from Washington, battled through months of chemotherapy which had appeared to be shrinking the cancer in her body.
St ace y recently tested positive for Covid-19 which wiped her out, but she was thankful to make it through alive.
But tragically her latest tests and scans have shown the cancer has grown.
Stacey, who previously worked as a barber, said she ‘cried with joy’ when doctors told her she would receive another chance with chemotherapy.
"I’m so glad I’ve been given more time to get things sorted,” said Stacey, who is mum to Chloe, 20, Sophie, 18, Geordie, 14, and Anthony (AJ), 12.
"My heart has been truly broken these past few weeks and I've been so frightened I honestly thought I was at the end of my journey,”
The 36-year-old has been overwhelmed by the support of the stranger’s fundraiser.
"I want to say a massive thank you to Andrea for helping raise funds for my funeral - what an absolutely beautiful thing to do,” the former Usworth Secondary School pupil said.
"I don’t know how long on this earth I have left. I’ve deteriorated unbelievably fast."
Stacey added: "The last thing in the world I want to do is leave my family with that expense they are already going through enough pain without money worry on top of that.
"I honestly wish I just had the cash to do it straight off myself, but since being poorly I have been on benefits and that just covers bills and travel costs - it’s so expensive being in and out of hospital constantly.”
Andrea, who lives in Uddingston, Scotland, has watched Stacey’s journey on TikTok and felt compelled to help.
"I was diagnosed with kidney and bowel cancer – which wasn’t at the same extent as St acey’ s–bu tI have experiencedthat dread and fear ,” said the 56-year-old, who has been cancer-free for three years.
"I firmly believe you don’t have to know someone to help them.
"Nobody should be having to worry about paying for their funeral when she’s going through so much.”
Donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/Help-Staceypay-her-funeral