Fundraising plea to help Warwick hairdresser get potentially life-saving treatment

A fundraising plea has been launched to help a Warwick woman get potentially life-saving treatment.

The page, which aims to raise £30,000, has been set up for 32-year-old Samantha Poulton, known as Sam, who is a hairdresser at Hair Management in Warwick.

In 2019 Sam was diagnosed with Synovial Sarcoma, which is a rare from of cancer which can develop in cells around joints and tendons.

After undergoing intense treatment and being declared cancer free earlier this year, Sam was delivered the devastating news that her cancer had returned and has been told there is little treatment available.

Sam, who said she is a relatively private person, has decided to share her story after family members encouraged her to and to help raise money for alternative treatments not available on the NHS.

Sam said: "First of all, I’d like to say that I’m not a girl who likes being the centre of attention - I’ve resisted against putting too much about myself or my journey on social media - but my family won’t sit back and just accept that there’s nothing more to be done for the person they love so much.

"In February 2019, I found a ‘cyst’ like lump on the outside of my foot - and after being initially dismissed at the GP’s, it was found to be cancer. In September 2019, I was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer called Synovial Sarcoma.

"I was told the best way to treat it and to have a good quality of life was to undergo a partial leg amputation. I was devastated.

"So on October 31 2019, my leg was amputated just below my knee.

"Even though it was life changing, I thought that with physio and eventually a prosthetic leg I’d be able to at least get my life back.

"I was warned that I’d need follow up scans every three months for the next 10 years because of a potential risk of the cancer spreading to the lungs.

"In February 2020, I was declared “NED’ - no evidence of disease. I and my family were absolutely over the moon. I’d beaten it and was cancer free."

In March Sam found more lumps in her groin and was faced with more tests and scans. Then her and her family's world was turned upside down.

Sam said: "I was given, what I can only describe as the most truly shocking news of my life, that the cancer had returned and spread to the lymph nodes in my groin, my hip in my good leg, and my spine.

"I asked what they could do - chemo, radiotherapy, surgery? And I was told there was nothing they could do except provide some radiotherapy as and when, to manage the growth of the tumours and the pain.

"But we couldn’t take it in - none of us could. Was this a joke because surely this couldn’t be happening to me. Why? What have I ever done to have to suffer something as cruel as this?

"I am broken - my family are broken. I’d been told in February that I was cancer free. Did they miss something? Why didn’t it show up on the previous scans?

"From that 45 minute or so consultation, my world’s turned upside down and I’m terrified. I’m not a brave person. I’ve always suffered with anxiety, but this has taken it to a completely new level.

"I can’t sleep - I absolutely hate the night time because if I’m truly honest I don’t think I’m going to wake up the next day."

Since finding out her diagnosis Sam has also been experience pain her lower back and was told in April that the cancer has progressed to her hip and that doctors wanted to organise a hip replacement.

Sam was scheduled to have her surgery today (Friday May 1).

Despite being faced with more and more devastating news, Sam is now looking into alternative treatment which could help her condition and potentially save her life.

"My research has shown (and I’ve googled everything) and I know people say you shouldn’t - that others throughout the world, who too, have suffered from Synovial Sarcoma - have been given much more options than I’m being given.

"They’ve had immunotherapy, proton beam therapy, chemotherapy and surgery and are still here.

"I need to raise enough money to be able to go private - because unfortunately the NHS is not able to offer me the other therapies that the private cancer hospitals can.

"They’ve said there’s not enough research gone on for Synovial Sarcoma.

"I’m asking if you’re able to help - anything, however small - and it might just give me the chance to save my life."

Tracy Bains, who is Sam's Aunt, created the fundraising page. She said: "I’d been trying to get Sam’s agreement to let me set up a fundraising page for some time - from the start of her journey in fact.

"That then was to help with the cost of a decent prosthetic leg. But she’d not been very keen.

"But now her cancer’s progressed I just couldn’t sit back, because I can’t and I won’t accept that there’s nothing more that can be done to help Sam apart from some radiotherapy.

"The money that’s kindly been donated, now gives Sam options - she’ll have money to access different therapies available on a private basis. And, in turn this gives us hope."

To donate go to: https://justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Samantha-Poulton